[ Chapter X (10): "ON SECOND THOUGHT, PERHAPS BEING A [REDACTED] ISN'T THAT BAD" ]

[ Chapter X (10): "ON SECOND THOUGHT, PERHAPS BEING A [REDACTED] ISN'T THAT BAD" ]

[ "Huh...?!" ]

[ "Fine, use it then." ]

Alastor reads the description very carefully, and realizes that this type of Necromancy he possesses is the same one with those he knows back in his home world. Which is good...

Though not knowing how to activate his abilities, or even how to wield it properly. Alastor did what he does best, and voiced out his thoughts... Something that worked with the Player Status aspect of the System.

[ 2 DECEASED ARE SUITABLE FOR REANIMATION LVL. 1 (SKILL) ]

[ WOULD PLAYER NO. 1 WANT TO USE HIS ABILITY? ]

[ YES ] [ NO ]

Which thankfully seems to have worked...

Now Alastor has trauma relating to yes and no buttons, in the most recent case they switched and caused him to feel pain like never before.

His nerves even still feel that phantom pain even though it has been quite some time, and surely this pain would still be felt by him, lasting for about some days.

At the moment though he tries to ignore it, hoping that it doesn't happen again; as he then hovers his finger over the yes button, clicking it after a slight hesitation...

Something in him is quite eager to test out his new god-given supernatural powers. But still also dismayed by the fact that he could have become a GOD... But didn't due to fate playing tricks.

So he guesses, he'll have to be content with being a Necromancer rather than being a GOD. Which should sound cool, but not to his ears; to his ears it is a waste.

Nonetheless he watches, slightly eager what this new found powers of his brings. Hopefully it could ease his new life, which got beaten over and over again due to reasons unknown...

Some due to petty reasons, and some even beyond his control.

Hiss... He dearly hopes this brings the long awaited chill era of his new life, if not... Then just kill him already.

Suddenly, about to attack the last 2 remaining giant ants was abruptly stopped when something grabbed at their legs... Curious, they turned to look at who it belongs too...

But was instead met with horror...

[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 2 (UNDEAD SUMMON) ]

[ FRIENDLY ]

[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 2 (UNDEAD SUMMON) ]

[ FRIENDLY ]

In their confusion, the ants watch how their supposed dead kin rises up to look at them... Face and body mostly eaten, antenna and legs munched on; those parts are instead replaced by shadows thick enough to be called their parts— but also soft enough that it can easily be pierced... If given the chance.

Something that the 2 hostile Formica Musco doesn't seem to be able, as they get pounced on as quickly as they realize... Hapless, the kin they were cannibalizing as to not waste resources, have now turned on them and are eating them in turn...

What tragedy...

This was all observed by Alastor who's looking at the scene in bewilderment... Back and forth between the friendly and hostile ants that share the same behavior, is named the same, but is drastically different in their loyalty...

Though considered "friendly" by the System, the first he ever saw it on a monster. Alastor couldn't help but doubt that, in the way they grappled, bit, and even killed their own kin without hesitation or fear of being hurt... Like robots.

Alastor had encountered many monsters, some actively hostile like those green-wolves and occasional birds, most neutral at the point that they wouldn't hurt if not disturbed...

But he has never encountered a friendly before, this being a first... And now those said friendly big ants are actively killing their own kind... Looking much more hostile than the supposed "hostile."

[ "Damn..." ]

[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 2 KILLED BY UNDEAD SUMMON ]

[ +8 EXPERIENCE TO UNDEAD SUMMON ]

[ +10 EXPERIENCE TO PLAYER ]

Alastor not knowing what to do, only watches on the sideline like a mob character, his eyes scanning what's happening in the fight... And he realized right then and there, that thankfully he didn't get overwhelmed by those ants in the previous fight...

If he got overwhelmed then that would be him there, rather than the hostile ants...

The hostile ants which are being ripped to pieces, cannibalized and eaten by Alastor's reanimated ants... 1 ant is dead, the System notified him... While the other is squirming, not yet dead, but is on the way there...

While alive, the other ant kept biting on its small eye sockets, pinning it to the ground. Plus the fact it lost 3 of its legs, it doesn't have a chance of surviving this and could only do his best to fight back... That fighting back is seemingly useless...

As finally with one last squirm and a painful scream, the ant's head detached from its main body... Black blood drips on the grass below— painting the grass in turn.

And giving Alastor a new thing to fear... Ants.

[ FORMICA MUSCO LVL. 3 KILLED BY UNDEAD SUMMON ]

[ +16 EXPERIENCE TO UNDEAD SUMMON ]

[ +14 EXPERIENCE TO PLAYER ]

To be more precise, ants that don't fear death, or have any self preservation embedded in their code. Plausibly an aftereffect, or buff given to them by the resurrection... Aside from extreme hunger to the point of cannibalization.

That may just be, or judging from how the normal ants acted... Perhaps it was already inside their system, even before resurrection; and now they're just doing what they do best... Eat.

[ "Ah..." ]

He raised his right hand and noticed it sweating amidst the blood, veins, and his hand that is numb to poison... His index finger that has been slightly bitten off could be seen black and blue, with his blood oozing out of it, some having dried out on his palm and sword due to it being opened for a long time...

Feeling that he has no choice in this matter, Alastor looks at his last remaining Potion of Health... Thinking if he should drink the whole thing like before, or partly sip it, as to not consume it all...

He tested out the latter... Dropping his shield on the grass, Alastor then opened up the potion using his fingers; not throwing the cork-like object away... Then without hesitation, he drank a little about 1/5th of the red...

To his surprise, the healing property was still retained... Though slower, he could see a faint light glow from his stomach that spread across his body... Combating the poison, as they all receded from the source— his index finger.

Slowly bit-by-bit, the veins of his turned back to normal, the green liquid coursing through his body disappearing into oblivion... Then finally, his half-index finger is now a full index finger again; his finger has now been regenerated back to health.

Meaning, he just wasted most of the drop from the 2 previous Potions of Health. Especially the first one, which was mostly drunk by the soil below rather than him.

[ "Piss..." ]

He covered his Potion of Health, saving most of the drop, learning from his previous mistakes as he instead watches on the progress of his 2 ant-summons.

Those that he does keep his distance away from. In fear that they might suddenly attack him, very unlikely, but the chance is there and he wouldn't risk it.

He noticed 1 of the ants, which is slightly bloodied by its own blood, damaged from being attacked by the hostile ants... Approaching him.

In panic, Alastor raised his arm, slightly backing away on a tree bark, feeling threatened.

[ "N-no don't come closer, stay there..." ]

[ "S-stay there, yeah." ]

Confused, the ant-summon who have slowly regenerated its body parts did what it was told... Sitting on the grass, looking at its master like a cute oversized 6-legged puppy...

A very playful puppy at that, with green blood still stuck in some parts of its body, mostly in the lip area which scares the hell out of Alastor in fear that he might just be next...

Noticing the behavior of his summon, which is subservient to him at least... He became calm, and instead praised it in hope that it be the key to it— the dog-sized monster, on not eating him.

[ "G-good uhh- a-ant." ]

[ "Y-yeah, great ant..." ]

Which seems to be the case, as the said ant tilted its head on the side. Seemingly enjoying the praise, in proof that its antenna lowers and rises occasionally, mouth or the pinchers in it clamping on occasionally.

Finding this cute, but also deadly... Alastor tried to get over his fear by approaching the sitting ant... He noticed that it doesn't move, still sitting, but is observing him; head tilted...

A great sign, because if it did move, then the momentum and courage he had built up would probably disappear... And then he'll lose the strength in his legs... Then he'll probably hyperventilate, not great for his health.

Alastor dropped his sword on the ground, and was finally able to touch the top part of his ant-summon's head, just below the floating notification that it is indeed friendly... And sure does, it is friendly to him... Thankfully.

[ "T-that's... Y-you're cool..." ]

He patted the monster's rough moss covered head, feeling slight hardiness on it, but also some weird unexplainable softness... Which made him put down his guard, and rummage his hand on top of the thing's head more...

Something that the latter liked proven by it shivering from his touch, a shiver that is akin to that of a dog, or a cat purring... With the said ant appearing to him more of docile, than a hostile that could bite off his head with ease.

Something that could cannibalize its kin, and even eat in a short span of seconds food equal to its body size without signs of stopping or signs of being full.

Like per say, the 2nd ant-friendly currently nowe dived on eating the insides of it's kill... Not far away from where Alastor and the 1st ant-friendly is standing on...

Sure scary, but they aren't eating him... And did protect him from monsters i.e. their supposed kin, from eating him... That's kinda cool in his books not gonna lie.

[ "Huh..." ]

Alastor looked at this 2 friendly-ants that could fight for him, no self-preservation or care about themselves, gluttonous, and is a companion to him along this dangerous journey...

The first ever scenario wherein something doesn't actively hunt for his flesh, but is instead actively helping him to fend off those said monsters— even though they are from the same species...

[ "On second thought..." ]

[ "Perhaps being... a Necromancer isn't that bad." ]

He muttered those words inside his head, before then continuing to pat his new friend's head under him... The fear of his towards it has greatly diminished... And now he regards it as an asset, and as a companion...

[ "A-aren't you a good boy..." ]

[ "Yes, you are." ]

[ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ]

[ 05/05/2025 ]

[ 05/06/2025 ]