17-[Mother Box: Antz]

Inside a confined space of a dark room, the source of photo energy was the wide screen that displayed Mr. McConnell, the white beard middle-aged man introducing new climbers to his guild.

The three newcomers were seated at the front as they listened attentively to the guild master, overall, the newbies were cladded in dark clothing and armor, including the only female in the room.

"You have been recruited to the red tiger guild, as a climber you know decades ago the towers began vomiting demons, luckily some of us awakened feats beyond the norms"

"We call ourselves the tower climbers, responsible for protecting mankind with our lives.. but please, you should also look out for each others' back, On the floor we're all brothers and sisters fighting the same war"

"You can only protect mankind when you've protected yourselves in the floors and always remember"

McConnell smiled at the three climbers, his facades giving the vibe of an innocent little child who wants nothing but peace.

"Don't act careless on floors"

———

Back in McConnell's mansion receptionist, Levi docked asking for a meeting with McConnell, however, the receptionist was afraid to lose her job.

Luckily, Jack was strolling past them and not recognizing Levi did he know someone was there, fear gripped him as his eyes flared looking at Levi.

He composed himself and exhaled "Ahem, it's okay Luci, McConnell asked for him

"Oh, pardon my rudeness and obstruction"

Without much further ado, Jack directed Levi to McConnell's office, although Levi wouldn't have gotten lost because the name was carved boldly on the door.

"He's inside, whatever was in the letter gave the old man sleepless nights", commented Jack before walking off.

Our MC stared at the door and as he was about to unlock it, the door opened itself, and straight ahead, Levi's surprised expression met with McConnell's smiling face.

"Ah, Levi West! Please have a seat"

The protagonist did as he was told and sat in front of the middle-aged man.

"So how long have you been climbing the towers?"

Levi found the question a bit amusing and at the same a dangerous one. Climbing towers? When he captured everything here, nonetheless, he replied honestly.

"Not long I decided to be a climber"

His response changed the demeanor of the man, the eyes staring at Levi shifted from him and landed behind Levi's shoulder.

"Is she with you? The Elf cloaking herself"

That statement left Levi of all people in a state of shock, there was no way on earth can a mere human, no matter how strong cannot see an elf, and if it wasn't for Levi's skill, he wouldn't have been too.

'This man, he's old and somehow managed to breach the boundaries of the human, he's strong I must admit'

And with that, Mika dropped her cloak since it was useless against these two, and unexpectedly, the man's demeanor changed again, he was smiling.

"Elf, it's been a long I saw creatures of such"

"You've seen one before?", yelled Mika jovially, expecting her race could still exist but she forgot the word "been long?"

—————

]

Ding Ding

-[Attention to all climbers in the tower ]

-[A mother box has been activated in Antz lair]

]

—————

The interface is displayed in all tower climbers' view and also voicing it out with a feminine soothing voice.

"No, no, not this again, of all days, not today"

The climbers were muttering curses and complaining hard. The message was unpleasant to all of them.

"You're complaining? I thought you retired?"

"Well what can I do, I had retired but now my wife is having our fourth kid, I can't sit at home looking at her face without money"

"Haha, it's okay Mr law, hopefully", the climber sighed and stared at the far volcano that was emitting a red photo beam to the sky.

"Whatever comes out of the mother box won't be as hard as the last mother box"

Overall, almost half the population of climbers inside the tower had gathered themselves in front of the gigantic volcano.

The unequivocal truth was, that gigantic red and white ants were ascending the forest and to the volcano, precisely they were ascending to meet with the red photo beam.

But for some of the climbers that wanted to go in and reap the life out of the demon Antz, they couldn't. Because the safety mages in the tower had already placed a magical barrier blocking them from entering.

"It appears the ants had been lurking around and waiting for a mother box to emerge", said McConnell.

Glancing at some of the climbers who were already wounded but had been healed by some healers casting spells from their minds.

Levi and McConnell shared similar clothing, however, McConnell's was a black suit, and Levi's black trousers and a black long-sleeve coat with a white inner.

'The mother box, if the ants get to that thing and secure it for an hour, they get to revive their dead Boss'

That's the use of a mother box when activated, the species of demons who secure the box before any other species, get to revive their dead boss or queen.

But something was wrong here because the boss of the ants is no other than, Bezant.

'I never imagined Bezant's soldiers would act on their own without command'

Redirecting Levi from his thoughts was a climber cladded in red-black armor, and it was at this point the clouds changed and rain began pouring.

"Sir, we've evacuated the low-rank climbers to a safe zone and secured the volcano with mana shield", yelled the climber.

McCo glanced at the volcano he could see the ants were still climbing inside the hole but they were not much, which meant almost all the ants were inside.

"Tell me, Mr Levi West, in a time like this, what would you do", asked McConnell with a jovial expression.

Levi glanced at all the eager climbers wanting to penetrate the mana shield and war with the ants before the boss was revived.

"Taking a selective few to the top wouldn't be a bad idea, and besides"

The ground began rumbling, the little rocks were shaking and behind the climbers, huge red and white ants emerged from the forest.

"We need climbers to hold the ants here"

"Brilliant idea, I guess you and I with the elf could handle things inside"

The climber who was standing close before stumbled backward momentarily when Mika dropped her cloak.

"I can handle myself! Don't know about playboy Levi"

Our MC smirked and the three of them penetrated the man's shield with ease. Leaving the battle here for the climbers who were more than eager to engage in battle.

Overall, as the trio arrived at the top of the volcano, looking down they could see two red ants and a pair of white ants too.

But they knew too well those were not all of them, perhaps these were surrounding the red-black floating box and the rest, hidden in holes and waiting for a surprise attack.

'If it's not bezant they plan on resurrecting, then who? Don't tell me Bezant has a queen'

McConnell smiled staring deep within the volcano, Levi smirked and Mika's lips curved. The three of them stared at the ants.

Overall, the dark clouds, rain, and the climbers battling down there, were a sight to behold.

"Shall we?"