More beasts on the way

"And most impressively, you lured and captured a bone crusher. That act alone places you in the class of heroes… I know no one who has done anything similar without completely destroying the beast."

The craftsman paused, assessing Joe's expression, and then added:

"I don't know your purpose in capturing this creature. But I believe it's something important."

Joe took the opportunity to bring up the matter that had brought him there:

"And what about the lands, Mr Craftsman? Would you sell me your share of that region?"

The craftsman scratched his beard, thoughtful, before replying:

"Certainly. But there are five parts in total. To gain enough authority, you'll need to acquire at least three of them."

"Understood. And who owns the third part?" Joe asked, curious.

"A dwarf who, frankly, looks nothing like the traditional image of our kind. He's an extremely irritable fellow, but as strong as his temper. You can't force him into anything. If he doesn't want to sell, there's nothing to be done."

Joe frowned.

"Who exactly is he?"

"Bargaf, the son of our people's hero, Heron Goldfard. Although he's a bit scatterbrained, he has a good heart. However, when it comes to the properties he inherited from his father, he becomes a different person. No one can convince him to part with even a small piece."

Joe nodded, realizing the negotiation would be challenging. But before he could plan his approach, the craftsman continued to inquire, eager to learn more about the young Joe's plans.

"What else can you tell me, Mr Joe?"

Joe smiled.

"I have a good proposal for you, Mr Craftsman. I'll explain the plan in detail later, but I can reveal that it involves something special for you as well."

"And what might that be?" the craftsman asked, intrigued.

"A title of nobility," Joe revealed. "You deserve it, both for what you represent to your community and for the impact you will create by my side. Together, we can turn quiet lives into opportunities—with the advantages, of course, weighing in our favor."

The craftsman pondered for a moment, but he seemed excited by the idea.

"Impressive," Benki murmured, admiringly. "You and this Queen Flórida truly are something special."

He began wrapping the slain animals with "salt fiber," a thin, special fabric that would isolate the smell of the hunted prey to avoid attracting other hungry beasts. Then he dragged the bundles into the bushes, where only the dwarves who came to collect them would understand the nature of the strange packages.

They resumed their trek, and Flórida once again settled onto her master's shoulder as he continued his steps into the increasingly dense forest. The dry leaves covering the ground crackled under his feet.

Flórida remained still on his shoulder, but her antennae moved quickly, picking up vibrations and scents in the air.

"Mr Joe," Benki said, adjusting his heavy backpack full of tools, "this part of the forest is known to harbor creatures that don't like intruders. Now that we've immobilized its top hunter, they might act freely at any moment."

"Understood, Mr Benki. We'll proceed with caution."

Joe raised his left arm and made a subtle gesture. The dozen archer ants, organized into four groups of three, began to spread out.

Some climbed tall trees, while others hid among bushes. They positioned themselves strategically, ready to react to any sign of danger.

Flórida, however, seemed restless. Suddenly, her antennae twitched, and she made a sharp, clicking sound.

🔺😎 [System Alert!] [Congratulations! Queen Flórida has upgraded her ant sensory ability: "Antenna Connection" Level 01]

Joe was startled by the notification.

"Are you serious, Flórida? Let me see what's good about this. Per Joe! Tell me about Flórida's ability now."

[Certainly.] [Description of Queen Flórida's ability: The user can sense the presence of enemies within a 5-meter radius, detecting movements and intentions in the immediate area. This detection range increases for greater security and responsiveness. However, as a queen ant, this ability can extend up to 50 meters, provided ants are positioned within that range.]

"That's great, Flórida! How does it work, though?"Before Joe could finish his question—

⚠️🐜 [Perimeter Alert] [⬆️ on 🐾 🔍: "Antenna Connection": Predator detection at 50 meters.]

> Enemies approaching! <

Florida warned, gripping his spear.

"Something's coming, Mr Craftsman," Joe warned.

Benki immediately stopped what he was doing and grabbed a small axe hanging from his belt.

"From where?"

Flórida pointed her antennae in a specific direction. Among the trees, the shadow of something large and agile moved.

Its exact shape was hard to discern, but it was clearly a swift and predatory creature.

"Could it be another bone-crusher?" Joe thought, alarmed.

"Archers, prepare yourselves!" Joe ordered.

The archer ants obeyed, loading their tiny arrows and pointing in the indicated direction.

The tension in the air grew, and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot grew louder.

Finally, the creature emerged from the shadows: it was a wild boar, with glowing eyes and massive tusks. It growled furiously, making it clear it was unhappy with the intruders in its territory.

"A shadow boar!" Benki exclaimed, visibly concerned. "Its skin is as hard as stone, and it's too fast for a frontal attack."

Joe remained calm. He knew he had to think quickly.

"Archers, aim for its eyes!"

The archer ants fired their arrows in perfect synchronization. Some arrows struck the boar's head but caused no significant damage. Others, however, came dangerously close to its eyes, making it retreat momentarily.

"Good attempt, but we need something stronger," Joe muttered as he analyzed the situation.

He rummaged through his bag quickly and found a small flask of flammable oil he had prepared days earlier.

"Mr Benki, distract it for a moment."

"Are you out of your mind, Mr Joe? It could kill me with one strike!"

"Trust me!"

Benki took a deep breath, raised his axe, and began banging it against a nearby tree, making enough noise to draw the boar's attention.

The creature turned toward him and, without hesitation, charged.

At that moment, Joe lit the flammable oil with an improvised lighter and threw the flask onto the ground, creating a wall of fire between the boar and Benki.

The animal immediately recoiled, clearly frightened by the flames.