Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 306 – Light Faction Survivors (1)

Thud…!

The Combat Queen Ant couldn't believe what was happening as it watched in agony. Its head had been detached from its body by Tayarana's sword, and its body was flailing its arms around in search of its head. It didn't take long for the body to collapse to the ground.

Bam!

'I won.'

Ding!

[Your level has risen.]

[The rank of 'Frozen Field' has risen.]

[The rank of 'Cold Chain' has risen.]

'Alright!'

The hunt in this Ant Dungeon brought about significant changes for Han-Yeol.

[Y-You traitors…!]

[Silence.]

Sukeok!

[Argh!]

The battle ended after Mariam's command of twenty soldier ants killed the remaining ants following the fall of the Combat Queen Ant. She now possessed direct combat influence, and calling her a non-combatant would be considered an insult from this point onward.

"Han-Yeol-nim."

"Hmm?"

Mariam approached Han-Yeol, feeling as though she would suffocate if she didn't express her thoughts.

"I... might have gained a new class when I awakened..."

"What?!"

Han-Yeol was shocked by something he hadn't expected at all.

She had gained a new class after awakening? What did she mean by that?

"A new power entered my mind as soon as I had my second awakening, and the words 'Monster Trainer' popped up in my head."

"H-How can that...?!" Han-Yeol was absolutely shocked.

'Don't tell me she's a double class now?!'

This was something he had heard of before, but he hadn't expected it to happen.

Thud… Thud…

[Oh? A double class?]

[Ah, no wonder I sensed two energies coming from that human girl.]

[Amazing... She's truly worthy of being Harkan-nim's subordinate.]

"Hahaha…" Han-Yeol awkwardly laughed in response.

However, what he was actually thinking was…

'They're not my subordinates!'

Then, he suddenly wondered, 'Oh wait, is Mariam considered a subordinate…?'

Well, the Horus raid party had been dissolved, so referring to her as his ex-subordinate was probably more appropriate.

"A-Amazing…"

"Is this really amazing?"

"Of course! The chances of someone awakening and gaining two classes are extremely rare! It won't affect your rank since your mana capacity won't be affected, but you will become more powerful as you have more skills to use. Is your second class related to using your brain waves as well?"

"Ah, yes. It has become easier for me to control monsters with Mind Control, I have gained Mind Crush, which allows me to attack the enemy's consciousness, and I can now establish a neural network with the monsters under my control."

Hunters were taught not to disclose everything about their abilities, even to their own family members, but Mariam shared everything with Han-Yeol without reservation. At some point, she began to trust Han-Yeol without even realizing it herself.

"Wow, you're a Monster Tamer, alright…" Han-Yeol muttered in awe.

"Hmm… that's not a bad name."

"Do you think so?"

"Yes, thank you, Han-Yeol-nim."

Mariam performed a Korean-style bow to Han-Yeol before rushing over to stop Tayarana, who was attempting to clean up the battlefield. Of course, Mariam wasn't the one who would be doing the hard work.

"Move!" she commanded.

"Kieeeeek!"

The twenty soldier ants under her command instantly went into action.

'Wow… that looks extremely convenient…' Han-Yeol could not help but be jealous of her ability.

***

The Combat Queen Ant had been defeated, and Han-Yeol's party was now stronger than ever. However, as he gained several levels and upgraded most of his skills, the ants were gradually becoming unworthy opponents for Han-Yeol.

'Hammer Shock!'

Bam! Bzzt!

He decided that the conventional way of fighting wouldn't lead him anywhere, so he began utilizing all of his skills, including the neglected ones, to fight with maximum effort.

He hadn't felt the need to use all of his skills until now, but he soon realized that using his skills together would result in much more powerful and efficient combat. A good example of this was Hammer Shock. Using this skill, which spread electric shock over a wide area, was definitely going to be useful if used correctly.

‘I can stun my enemies with this.’

Observing the skill's effectiveness in stunning his enemies made him start to desire the lightning attribute as well.

‘Hmm… Will I gain the ability to use the lightning attribute as well if I keep using this skill…?’

It was while he was making these plans that...

"Kieeeeek!"

[Kill the arrogant intruders!]

[Die! Intruder!]

'Hammer Shock!'

Bam! Bzzzzzt!

[Grwaaaak!]

Five elite soldier ants simultaneously attacked Han-Yeol, but they staggered after being stunned by the electricity shot out by Hammer Shock. Han-Yeol then tightly gripped the sword in his right hand and...

'Ex…plosion!'

Bam!

[Kiekk!]

The screams of the elite soldier ants were cut short. The sword, blazing with Sword Breath, easily pierced through their tough carapace, triggering a powerful chain of explosions that left them no time to even scream.

[M-My children!]

Han-Yeol's party reached the Queen's room after battling countless ants, and inside, they encountered a new type of ant they had never fought before - the Queen's Guards.

"Oh? The Queen's Guards? I want them," Mariam declared with a glint in her eyes, her greed apparent.

"Hahaha…" Han-Yeol could only laugh awkwardly upon seeing her enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, Mariam was busy envisioning her fantasy, ‘They will look even cooler next to Tayarana-nim!’

The Queen’s Guards resembled humanoid creatures, with their ant carapaces giving them a striking appearance. They appeared more human-like than the Bastrolings, appearing like fully-armored knights from head to toe thanks to their carapaces.

In contrast, the Queen Ant was simply a massive, plump ant with little visual appeal.

Mariam envisioned herself and the Queen’s Guards surrounding Tayarana and thought, ‘It's picture-perfect!’

She might be indifferent toward everything and everyone, but she would turn into a pushover whenever Tayarana was involved.

"Go!" Mariam commanded the soldier ants under her control with enthusiasm.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

[Y-You dare take my children away from me?! I won’t forgive you!]

The Queen Ant was filled with rage.

She had given birth to each and every ant in this colony. It was the ants' duty to willingly sacrifice themselves for their colony and queen, and she felt honored to have such devoted children. Instead of feeling sorrow, she felt pride in their sacrifice.

However, having her offspring taken away by the intruder was an entirely different matter, and this was something she could never forgive.

[My children! Protect your siblings from the grasp of their wicked sorcery!]

[Yes, my queen!]

Seuk…!

The Queen’s Guards finally joined the fray, raising their halberds as they began to advance. Unlike the other ants, these ones did not fly; instead...

[Charge!]

[Charge!]

Tak!

They formed a single file before charging at speeds even faster than flying.

‘Damn it! They’re at least twice as fast as the elite soldier ants!’

Not only were these ants fast, but they were also significantly larger. A regular soldier ant was already twice the height of an average human, but the Queen’s Guards were even bigger than a typical soldier ant. Therefore, the Queen’s Guards were at least three times larger than Han-Yeol.

But what if these massive creatures formed a single file and charged with their halberds? They would be an unstoppable force.

‘Hmm?’ Han-Yeol expected the Queen Ant to make a move, but she didn't budge an inch. Then, a theory suddenly crossed his mind, ‘Don't tell me…? That thing can't fight?’

Before he could finish his thought, Karvis popped into his mind.

[I believe that is indeed the case, Han-Yeol-nim.]

‘Oh? Do you have any interesting information?’

[Yes, I do. The Queen Ant is controlling her ants with her pheromones, and this pheromone has the ability to enhance the abilities of the ants.]

‘Huh? You can determine things like that with your analysis?’

[Yes, that is correct.]

‘Wow…’

The moment Han-Yeol was impressed by that…

Ding!

[The rank of ‘Analytic Eyes’ has risen.]

‘What is this convenient timing…?’

[I have no idea…]

Both Han-Yeol and Karvis were taken aback by the unexpected timing of the message.

Anyway…

‘So if I kill the Queen Ant…’

[According to my calculations, the ants are unlikely to die even if the Queen Ant perishes. However, I am certain that they will be thrown into chaos. That pheromone is rich in mana and has a physical impact on the ants. But what if the pheromone suddenly vanishes?]

‘Their bodies will likely encounter issues due to the abrupt change.’

[Yes, that is correct.]

‘Alright.’

No matter the situation, his sole objective was to hunt the Queen Ant, which aligned with his initial plan. Some might label him as a coward, but he was the kind of person who wouldn't mind being called a coward a hundred times as long as he achieved his goal.

During a battle with his life on the line, he wasn't the type to dwell on whether his actions were despicable or honorable.

“Tara!”

“Okay, Han-Yeol.”

“Distract them as much as possible! I’ll ambush the Queen Ant and put an end to this.”

“Got it.”

Chwak!

Tayarana spread her wings immediately upon Han-Yeol's request.

Whiiiiing!

She activated the unique ability of her wings, and the fan attached to the wing began to draw in mana from the air. The absorbed mana was then converted into her own.

‘Wow, I guess she's planning to give it her all this time.’

Shwooong!

She ascended to the ceiling of the dungeon.

[Ha! Do you think we can’t do that?!]

Chwak! Buzz!

The Queen’s Guards finally spread their wings and took flight, recognizing Tayarana as the greatest threat to their queen.

Woooong!

‘W-What? Is she going to use that?!’ Han-Yeol wondered as he identified the mana, which he had only seen twice before.

This was an ability she dared not use unless she faced severe danger, as she understood its immense power and destructive potential. Moreover, this skill placed a substantial strain on her body and consumed a significant amount of her mana.

Han-Yeol felt concerned for a moment, but he quickly dismissed it, thinking, ‘Well, she has already undergone her second awakening, so she should be better at controlling it now.’

He chose to trust her, as there likely wasn't a more suitable skill for their current situation.

‘Let it rip, Tara!’

Chwak!

Tayarana gripped her sword with both hands and channeled her mana into it.

[Divine Punishment of Horus!]

This was a skill she had acquired in Egypt, so she was compelled to speak Arabic once again, something she had actively avoided for a long time.

Speaking Arabic reminded her of the Horus raid party, and a tear welled up in her eye as she used the skill.

‘Goodbye… Horus raid party…’

She managed to capture the attention of every ant in her vicinity, just as Han-Yeol had requested. Simultaneously, she found a way to release the burden in her heart toward her deceased comrades.

They were her cherished subordinates, and she held numerous precious memories with them. She knew she would never forget them, but it was now time to allow them to rest in peace in heaven.

‘Good… Bye…’