Cybele

The goblin babies who had come to Asher's rescue were happily munching on the ants, unfazed by the sluggishness overtaking their bodies.

Disgusting.

But curiosity gnawed at Asher. If these little goblins were eating them without a problem, maybe… just maybe, it wasn't that bad?

Hesitantly, he picked up a crushed ant and took a bite.

Regret hit instantly.

His face twisted in pure horror.

What kind of disgusting shit is this?!

His tiny body shuddered as he spat it out, desperately wiping his tongue with his hands. Never again. It took a solid minute for the awful taste to fade.

Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the pile of dead ants.

Wait… I should give that thing a try.

A sinister ripple spread through the air as a shifting black mass of flesh materialized before him.

It pulsed and writhed, its surface covered in small, glowing red eyes that blinked at random, scanning everything around it. At its center was a massive, gaping maw filled with jagged teeth.

It was unsettling. Alien. Powerful.

[Devour's Relic] - Divine Artifact

An artifact with the power to absorb monster parts, weapons, items, or any object and transform them into powerful summoned beings. The strength, abilities, and form of the summoned creature are directly influenced by the quality and rarity of the absorbed material. Higher-grade or unique objects result in stronger and more formidable summons. All creatures summoned through Devour's Relic are eternally bound to the owner, ensuring unwavering loyalty and obedience.

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[Devour's Relic has activated…]

[Do you wish to sacrifice (Stingreaver Ant) to summon a new entity?]

[Warning: The summoned creature's strength will depend on the quality and quantity of sacrificed materials.]

He mentally confirmed the prompt.

[Sacrifice Confirmed.]

The text glowed in his mind, pulsing with ominous energy. The moment he confirmed, the Devourer's Relic sprang to life.

Slime-like tendrils shot out from its gaping maw, wrapping around the pile of dead ants.

One by one, the corpses were dragged inside.

Even the half-eaten remains in the goblin babies' hands were ripped away, much to their protest. But the moment they saw the horrifying, writhing entity, they clamped their mouths shut and swallowed whatever was left.

The relic gurgled, its many eyes blinking in eerie synchronization. Then—

"Buuurrrp!"

Devour's Relic let out a grotesque, echoing belch.

A dark, swirling smoke erupted from the relic's gaping maw.

[Summoning Complete!]

[New Entity Created: Mutated Stingreaver Ant Queen]

[Devour's Relic has entered a cooldown phase.]

[Cooldown Time: 1 Month.]

As the thick, black smoke dissipated, a towering figure stood before Asher.

It was at least a meter tall—twice his current height.

The creature's body was covered in crimson armor plates that gleamed under the dim cave light. A sharp, crown-like crest adorned its head, giving it an air of authority. Its massive, veined wings twitched, as if testing their newfound strength.

Four long, clawed arms extended from its sides, and its thick lower body ended in a powerful abdomen, equipped with a curved, serrated stinger.

Its large, glowing crimson eyes locked onto Asher.

For a split second, instinctive fear gripped him. His body screamed at him to run.

But then—

The giant ant knelt.

It lowered its head in submission, pressing one of its clawed arms against its chest.

[Mutated Stingreaver Ant Queen has sworn eternal loyalty to its master.]

Asher's breath hitched. His small hands trembled slightly as he took a step back, staring at the monstrous ant warrior before him.

Then, a slow, excited grin spread across his face.

To confirm his control, Asher gave a simple command.

"Sit."

The towering ant queen immediately obeyed, lowering itself onto the cave floor without hesitation. A wicked grin spread across Asher's face.

This is real. This thing listens to me.

As he pondered what his new ally could do, a status panel suddenly materialized before him.

___________________________________

Character Status

Name: [N/A]

Race/Species: [Mutated Stingreaver Ant Queen]

Class/Occupation: [N/A]

Attributes

Level: [4]

HP: [40]

MP: [100]

Strength: [15]

Agility: [17]

Intelligence: [30]

Defense: [12]

Title:

[Queen]- let's the user to teleperhalicly command any Stingreaver ant under it's command .

Skills:

[Paralyzing Mist] – Releases a faint, sweet-smelling mist from its abdomen that paralyzes enemies who inhale it, slowing their movements and weakening their resistance.

[Parasite Egg Infestation] – Injects fertilized eggs into paralyzed enemies. The eggs rapidly hatch inside the host, and the newborn ants consume them from within, turning the body into food for the colony.

[Royal Pheromones] – Emits a powerful pheromone that strengthens nearby soldier ants, making them faster, more aggressive, and resistant to status effects.

[Mutated Stingreaver Progenerator]-

This skill allows the user to lay up to 30 eggs daily, with the strength of the soldier ants being influenced by how few eggs the Queen lays. Fewer eggs lead to stronger soldiers.

___________________________________

Asher's tiny baby mouth hung open in shock.

"This… this is insane!"

Not only was the Mutated Stingreaver Queen strong, but its abilities were terrifying. The last skill alone was ridiculously overpowered. If it kept laying eggs every day, he could raise an unstoppable army of ants.

Even if a single Stingreaver soldier wasn't that strong individually, their paralyzing effect made them incredibly dangerous. Add in their sheer numbers, and they could overwhelm almost anything.

Thirty eggs a day…

Even if only half of them survived, he could have a thousand soldier ants in just over a month. And if he let her focus on fewer, stronger soldiers? He might be able to create elite warriors.

A horde at his command.

Scouting, ambushing, swarming enemies... the possibilities are endless.

And the most ridiculous part?

He got this monster from a pile of bug corpses.

"No wonder that ROB was freaking out when I got the artifact."

With excited glee, Asher shifted his attention to the Mutated Stingreaver Ant Queen, who remained seated, waiting for his command.

"Can you build a nest here?" he asked, pointing to the deepest corner of the cave.

The ant queen snapped her pincers together, a sharp clicking sound echoing through the cavern.

Strangely, Asher understood it as a yes, though he had no idea how. He decided not to question it for now.

"Oh, before that… let me give you a name."

He placed a hand on her hard crimson shell.

"From now on, you'll be Cybele."

For a brief moment, her glowing red eyes flickered, as if acknowledging her new identity. But aside from that, nothing noticeable changed.

Satisfied, Asher gave his next order.

"Okay, start by digging a small hole in that corner. You can expand your nest underground. And start laying eggs."

Cybele snapped her pincers again and immediately got to work.

Her massive claws tore through the cave floor with ease, sending small rocks and dust flying. In just five minutes, she had dug a hole large enough to fit her entire body, showcasing her raw power and efficiency.

"That was fast..." Asher muttered, impressed.

To keep her hidden, he gathered some loose debris and waste to cover the entrance. If the goblins found Cybele, things could get complicated.

"I don't know how they'll react," he thought. "I don't want her fighting my fellow goblins, and I have no idea if Mother will trust me enough to explain this."

Feeling satisfied, Asher turned around—only to freeze.

The five goblin babies lay sprawled on the floor, completely unconscious.

"W-What the hell?!"

Panic shot through him. Did they pass out from fear of Cybele?!

Rushing over, Asher hurriedly dragged them to their makeshift bedding. Thanks to his boosted Strength stat, moving them was surprisingly easy, though it still took some effort.

Once they were all tucked in, he sighed in relief.