76 Absorption Relay

'On your mark, get set, go!'

Signaling the start of the race, Zanir and his clones each took off in a slightly different direction towards the anthill. As each of them ran forward, their large ghostly dragons chomped the terrain. Absorbing it at the same time gave everyone the impression that the artifact was responsible.

Competition, brought out the best in them, pushing them to go faster than they otherwise would of. Even though they were identical and had the exact same strength, slight differences arose over the course of the competition.

Since he was the original, Zanir himself could be considered the baseline. Occasionally taking shortcuts, Devil would also skip some of the smaller sections, leaving them behind. On the other hand, the Angel clone was taking slightly longer, verifying that he got everything before moving on.

Moving swiftly, all three of them absorbed the anthill at a rapid pace. As the entrance was absorbed, they went further in, taking the tunnels as well. All of the chambers and side-chambers soon joined as well.

Finally, the entire anthill and tunnel network was absorbed. With only a large hole remaining, they even had to absorb some nearby ground, to form a slope so they could get back out. Meeting up with the Rangers, they were eager to see what the scoreboards would say.

Within a few minutes, the system was able to calculate each of their individual results. Displaying the information onto a signboard at the refreshment stand, those who bet were the first to rush up and inspect the results.

Some of the Rangers were cheering, while others were feeling regret. Checking the information, the results he saw were within his predictions.

[Results:

Zanir: 36%

Devil: 33%

Angel: 31%

Total: 100%]

Although Devil had taken shortcuts, he had also skipped some materials. Angel took too long, due to his cautious nature. In the end, it was only for fun and nobody had bet too much money. With the area cleaned up, the Rangers were going to leave the temporary barricades behind.

"Wait! You're not going to take these with you?"

Looking over at the barricades, Garth responded to him.

"Those were just temporary."

Shamelessly, he took a minute to loot the barricades as well. As they were leaving, both the Rangers and guards were chuckling at his antics. He left no stones to be turned over, giving a new meaning to word thorough.

In high spirits, the convoy of mixed troops and ants made its way back to the outpost. Since the area was clear, the Rangers needed to pack everything up. Looking over at Zanir, they couldn't help but ask for his help.

Sometimes being a high and mighty space mage, meant helping your friends move their stuff, so they didn't have to carry anything. The other advantage was that his space would keep things arranged, so there was no need to pack and unpack.

Cutting out the logistics freed up their schedule a bit, opening up some time to celebrate. It would be a farewell party, as they said their goodbyes to an outpost that some of them had been stationed for years.

Seasoned pros at this point, his guards were more than capable of preparing food and drinks. They had been through more than enough banquets, and the spatial world was always accessible on the sly, keeping fresh ingredients close at hand.

By training people with the visual aid of the 'ghost dragon', they wouldn't notice him using his powers to help a nearby guard retrieve something that was actually coming from the space. People naturally assumed he could only affect the area while the dragon was out.

While the Rangers were enjoying the final meal, he sent Devil out on a mission. Sneaking out of the camp undetected, he made his way out of the outpost. Heading a suitable distance away, he started warping in a convoy of cargo wagons.

Having been a few days, it was time to bring in a large chunk of the goods that the Rangers had ordered for headquarters. Going out on the mission allowed him the perfect opportunity to 'meet up' with the trade goods.

Carts were brought in one after another, along with undead mounts to pull them. Disguised by the space, they looked normal until one performed a close-up inspection. With endless stamina, they wouldn't get tired from pulling the heavy carts.

Just as everyone was finishing up eating, they heard the sound of multiple carriages heading in their direction. The reaction at a military outpost was lightning quick, even with the men relaxing and eating. Rushing to the walls and observation towers, the base sprung into action.

Confirming that no armed troops were present, the men saw that it was a massive convoy of caravans. Each one was filled to the brim with different goods. In the front, there was a single man leading. Wait a minute, wasn't that Devil?

Waving at the Rangers with one hand, Devil used his other to sneak a quick drink from a flask. Looking over, they asked Zanir if he knew what was going on.

"Wasn't he just here? Where did all those caravans come from?"

"Ah, forgive me, I forgot to tell you that I had the scheduled the goods to be delivered here. I sent my associate to ensure that merchandise is secure and arrived safely."

Willing to look past a vague explanation, the Rangers decided not to press further. After all, they were the ones who would be getting these trade goods. Leaving the packing to Zanir, everyone headed off together, returning to headquarters with loot, victory, and an entire convoy of cargo caravans.

Due to the cargo, the return trip took two days as it normally would. With the colony of ants accompanying them, there weren't any surprises on the journey back. Although he had stored away many of them, there were enough left out to guard the convoy.

Returning back to headquarters, the convoy couldn't help but notice something right away. There was a massive amount of carts entering, forming a long line, and chaos beyond that. Everyone was bustling to get in, causing traffic jams everywhere.

Puzzled, they sent out one of the captains to find out what was going on. Heading over to the crowd, Jake returned a few moments later, having talked to some of the waiting merchants and traders.

"Well, this is ironic, to say the least. The traders told me that they've all been ordered to deliver materials into headquarters. Everything is being brought in to help pay for the transactions."

It seems that not only had he indirectly caused a traffic jam, but he'd also made it worse by bringing even more cargo caravans. He was about to send some of his guards over, but then he remembered the communication shells.

Using the communication shell, he was able to reach the employees inside. Even though they were swamped with business, they were able to get the message out. After that, it didn't take long for Nathan to spot him.

The warden was able to help get a path cleared, and it didn't take people long to realize that they had active field troops returning. Once they heard that, the merchants were easily able to make a path to welcome home these heroic fighters.

Cheering went up, and he knew that it was going to be another feast to celebrate. At this point, he was getting tired of partying and wanted to spend a little quality time with his family. Devil came over, offering to take his place for the banquet.

"Eating and drinking will be no problem, go take care of mom and dad."

"Alright, but I'm sending Angel with you, just to keep an eye on you."

"Bah, that's no fun! Alright, let's go to the feast Angel."

Before leaving the crowded entrance, he checked in with the employees at the bazaar, confirming that the business had boomed from the increased traffic. Thanking them, he had the staff rotate so they could take a decent break.

Taking care of a few more minor purchases to restock ingredients, he concluded his review of the bazaar operations. Directing the caravans through the crowded intersections, they arrived at a warehouse that had been set up for the delivery.

Dropping off all the merchandise, it would be inspected by the workers and appraisers. Once the Rangers had an idea of the quality, they could negotiate the prices. As all of that was happening, there was a feast being held.

Even if he intended to leave early, he still had to make an appearance. Making their way to the banquet hall, it was like a wave of celebration, with him at the crest. The news that he had returned was spreading quickly.

Not only had he returned, but he had been victorious in clearing another restricted area. He had earned their gratitude for returning even more Rangers. More importantly, he had inspired the Rangers and made their blood boil.

It had been a long time since they had a prodigy or genius in the organization. Having a really strong warrior who could clear these spots, reminded the Rangers of why they took their oaths in the first place. The strength and bravery reminded them of their core values.

Meeting with Raul and the higher-ups, he briefly explained what had happened. Naturally, they were shocked to discover that he'd gained two clones. Taking a toast, he excused himself, to take care of business and spend time with his family.

Before heading back to the spatial world, he checked in on the danger room and obstacle course. Once he got close enough, the system prompted him a few times, updating him on the progress.

[Your dungeon has defeated one hundred challengers. Goblins will now occasionally spawn inside your dungeon.]

[Your dungeon has been defeated. Elite monsters will now rarely spawn inside your dungeon.]

[Your dungeon has defeated two hundred challengers. Orcs will now occasionally spawn inside your dungeon.]

Surprised that someone actually defeated the dungeon, he was looking forward to seeing what an elite monster looked like. With all of the points it had generated, the experiment had been a success. Adding both kinds of ants to the dungeon, he let the crowd know there new monsters available.

With his business wrapped up, for now, it was time to take a look at the spatial world. Having been busy, it had been a little while since he'd been in to take a look. As always, he was looking forward to seeing the progress and how the world had improved.