RETURN TO THE COLONY

The battlefield was eerily silent now that the flies had fled or fallen. The air smelled of blood and crushed bodies, a mixture of triumph and loss. Victory had been won, but at a cost.

The worker ants erupted into cheers, their tiny voices blending into a unified celebration. Some hugged, others patted each other on the back. The military ants, standing tall with their mandibles raised high , let out deep, guttural war cries.

"Yeah! We did it!" A military ant pounded his chest, mandibles held high in triumph.

"Glory to the colony!" another roared.

"We are alive!!" Shouted a worker ant

Ari exhaled, breath heaving, his exoskeleton slick with sweat. His muscles burned, exhaustion setting in after the relentless combat. He barely registered the cheers, his mind still replaying the battle. He then lost his balance and fell down to the floor.

A shadow loomed over him, and he looked up to see Commander Ruth. She knelt down, her dark green eyes gleaming as she extended a hand, her face unreadable—until a rare smile broke through her usually stern features.

"You did well. Stand proud."

Ari hesitated only a moment before gripping her hand. She was stronger than he expected, pulling him to his feet with ease.

"Thanks," he muttered.

Brooks cracked his knuckles, watching Ari with a satisfied grin. "It's been a while since I got to stretch my legs like that. But you, kid… you were something else." His eyes gleamed with approval. "That was damn good work."

Ari nodded, still catching his breath. "Beatrice was right about this one, his potential is truly incredible" mumbled Brooks

Nearby, Isla clutched her chest, heart hammering. "T-Thank god it's over… I was so scared." Her voice trembled, her antennae twitching as she glanced around at the fallen.

Rory exhaled sharply. "You lived to see another day." He crossed his arms, shaking his head. "But let's be real—if they were stronger, we wouldn't have stood a chance." His jaw tightened. "I need to get stronger. I barely managed three kills while Ari wiped out at least three dozen."

His antennae twitched in frustration. "We went through the same training. How the hell is the gap between us this big? Maybe…" His voice lowered. "Maybe Ari's some kind of different species."

Ruth's voice cut through the murmurs. "Alright, everyone. Tend to the wounded—mild and severe. We leave before any other insects get ideas." She turned to Brooks. "Make sure we retrieve the bodies of our fallen. They deserve a proper burial."

Brooks nodded. "Of course."

The worker ants immediately got to work, treating injuries and gathering the dead. The military ants formed a protective formation, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any lingering threats.

Ruth's voice rang out, cutting through the moment. "Move out!"

The worker ants pushed the wheeled containers, carrying supplies and the fallen. The military ants flanked them, standing tall and alert.

Not far from the battlefield, hidden in the shadows, two figures observed the scene.

"They're getting stronger," one of them muttered, cracking his neck in displeasure. "The chief isn't going to like this."

The larger of the two, muscular and imposing, crossed his arms. "Tch. They only fought flies. That's nothing special, they'reweak." His compound eyes flicked toward three particular ants. "But those three… they might become a problem even a slight threat to our order."

A third figure, lurking just behind them, let out a sinister chuckle. "Then should I take care of them now?" His voice dripped with amusement.

"No need, Sly." The muscular one, Baracko, waved a dismissive spike. "They're not worth the effort."

Sly clicked his tongue. "You sure? If we take them out now, we could grab their food supplies without trouble."

Baracko gave him a sharp look. "Think bigger. Why waste energy when we can just take it from them later? Let them do the hard work for us."

A slow, sinister smile crept across Sly's face. "I like the way you think."

Ari sighed, shaking his head. He had expected some kind of reward after that brutal fight, but nothing came. "I slayed thirty flies just like the quest told me however I got no rewards this time" he mumbled to himself.

"Is this quest system a scam?" He muttered under his breath. "What's the point of having it if it doesn't help?"

A soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Ari."

He turned to see Evelyn walking up beside him, her face still pale from the battle.

"Oh, Evelyn. Glad to see you're okay."

She nodded quickly. "Me too. It was terrifying, but… deep down, I knew I'd be safe because you were there." A hesitant smile tugged at her lips. "You saved me, and… I just wanted to say thank you."

Before Ari could react, she leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

His mind went blank.

Evelyn pulled back, her face flustered. Without another word, she hurried back into the group of worker ants, disappearing among them.

Ari stood frozen, processing what had just happened. His antennae twitched. Face for red and His dropped slightly, but no words came out.

Brooks who saw the interaction smirked from a few steps away. "Hah. Looks like our young warrior is getting more than just battle experience."

Rory, overhearing, snickered. "Damn, Ari. I only got bruises, and you got a kiss? Talk about unfair."

"Someone's jealous" said Isla teasingly.

Ari finally snapped out of his daze, his face heating up. "Shut up."

Laughter rippled through the group, but the weight of battle still lingered in the air. The celebration was brief. There was still a long journey back to the colony, and lurking in the shadows, unknown to them, in the darkness beyond the trees, something far more dangerous than flies was watching an unseen threat.