"Okay, it's time to check my status," Gerhan said, his voice echoing softly in the depths of his newly expanded chamber. He opened the system window, anticipation filling his thoughts.
[System Window]
[Name]: None
[Race]: Saturius Taturius (Red Ant)
[Strength]: 2.3
[Agility]: 0.6
[Mana]: 6
[Intelligence]: 40
[Soul Power]: 10.2
[Endurance]: 2.8
[Skills]: Lay Eggs, Control
[Talent]: Essence Devourer (SSS)
{Remarks}: Ant
After consuming large amounts of essence-rich food over time, Gerhan's strength and endurance had increased slightly. His mana, too, had grown significantly—likely a lingering benefit from the nutritious bear meat. However, despite the boosts, no new skills had appeared, and the lack of substantial progress gnawed at him.
"Hmm, so eating essence-rich things increases my stats, but only if they're packed with essence," Gerhan muttered, glancing toward the dwindling stockpile. He knew that the supply of bear meat was long gone, and the ants were only foraging small carcasses and scraps.
Still cautious, Gerhan restricted his ants to traveling in groups of no more than three, ensuring their movements didn't attract unnecessary attention from predators or curious creatures. Every worker ant had a task, and Gerhan's role involved monitoring the outside world through his controlled ants.
One of these controlled worker ants scurried up a tree, its keen eyes scanning the horizon. Gerhan's focus sharpened as he observed through its eyes. In the distance, the ant spotted a small stream. While not large enough to be called a river, it was teeming with activity.
Near the stream, a group of brown bunnies grazed lazily, seemingly ordinary and devoid of special abilities. Not far from them, a group of green-skinned deer mingled, their coloration blending perfectly with the foliage. "Interesting," Gerhan thought. "The bunnies could make good prey for the soldiers, and the deer… They seem more suited for defense than attack. Perhaps there's potential there, but for now, let's keep things simple."
He instructed the ant to remain in the tree, keeping watch over the stream and its surrounding wildlife. Back at the colony, preparations continued.
The entrance to the colony had been widened to accommodate the newly hatched ants, and a deep tunnel leading to Gerhan's private chamber was nearing completion. The air in the lower chambers carried a strange energy, and as Gerhan examined the earthy walls, a peculiar thought struck him.
"Can I eat dirt?" he mused aloud. It was a strange question, but it wasn't without merit. His talent, [Essence Devourer], was a passive ability that consumed energy from food, converting it into attributes or skills. However, Gerhan had realized that only items or creatures with significant amounts of essence provided meaningful gains.
The dirt here felt infused with something—earth element energy, perhaps. Was it possible to extract essence from it? He scooped a small clump into his mandibles and cautiously chewed, the gritty texture foreign but not unpleasant. He waited, his mind tuned to any changes.
Nothing happened immediately, but Gerhan's instincts told him there was potential here. "Perhaps it's not concentrated enough, or maybe it needs to be combined with something else," he thought. "Still, it's worth experimenting with later."
For now, Gerhan's focus shifted back to his plans. He had food to gather, a colony to expand, and a stream to monitor. The forest was vast and full of mysteries, and with each passing day, Gerhan grew more determined to uncover its secrets.