Chapter 80: Ant King In Trouble
A few months ago, Nox had awakened a class-related skill named [Beast Sense]. Like the title implied, it was a skill that allowed him to sense beast feelings, know their likes, dislikes, and weaknesses.
Though the skill wasn't as destructive as Shadow Oblivion, or allowed him to phase through attacks like Phantom Cloak, or enhance his speed like Divine Velocity, Nox believed it was one of his best skills.
The skill was a game-changer, much like 'Analyze.'
'Nine out of ten times, half the battle was already won if you knew your opponent's weakness,' Nox thought.
He was currently standing inside what appeared to be a wide pit within a relatively large opening in the ant nest, holding two sticks. Standing beside him was Thirteen, who had a snarl on his face as he looked at the ant king with a hateful glare.
Outside the pit, several ants had gathered to watch the fight unfold. They had heard of the king's return and were glad, but they didn't like the fact that the king wanted to get rid of their ally.
In the past years, Nox had played an important role in their lives, surpassing the king by far. Since they came to this realm, there had been no need for death or fights, all of which was because of their human ally, and quite frankly, the ants liked things just the way they were. So, they silently prayed for the panda to win this fight.
The ant queen also shared the same thought process. Though she loved her husband, she hoped he would lose. If he won, he would definitely take them back to that demonic dimension, and they would be hunted all over by the demons, something she didn't want to experience again.
The ant queen wouldn't have been this anxious if it were Nox who was fighting against the ant king; after all, he had defeated her four years ago. Certainly, he must've improved.
'Why does it have to be Thirteen?' she thought as she rubbed her palm anxiously. 'The panda is strong, but he's still just a wildling. How could he fight against a king-tier beast?'
No matter how she looked at it, the panda was just playing a losing game even before it began. But she trusted her master; he wouldn't propose this if he didn't have countermeasures.
"Thirteen… how do you feel?" Nox squatted to the panda's level and asked.
[Angry!] Thirteen replied.
"I understand…" Nox sighed and then whispered something in Thirteen's ear and handed him the pair of sticks. He lit up their edges with matches, and flames erupted out.
Seeing this sight, the panda nodded vigorously, and a mischievous smile appeared on his face. The ant king flinched subconsciously when he saw the flaming sticks in the panda's grasp.
Even the other ants that were watching had horrified expressions on their faces. Previously, they had been standing very close to the pit, but now they took a large step back.
The ant queen's eyes flashed with realization. "So this is the reason he accepted the fight… I was right, Master already had everything thought out."
[You! This is not fair!] The ant king growled.
"What's not fair?" Nox smirked, and a cluster of information appeared before him.
[King of Scourge Ant - King Tier Lv1
Current State: Enraged, fearful
Likes:
Sweet substances like sugar and honey, Dark, damp environments, Warm temperatures, Vibrations from footsteps (helps detect prey), Chemical signals from other ants (communication)
Dislikes:
Bright lights, Cold temperatures, Dry environments, Strong-smelling chemicals (insecticides), Loud, high-frequency sounds (sonic attacks)
Strengths:
Close-range fighter, Enhanced strength, Armored exoskeleton, Colony mind
Weaknesses:
Vulnerable to fire, Limited range, Insecticide (fatal), Disorientation, Sonic attacks]
'Unfortunately, there is no insecticide, so this is the best approach.'
"The last time I checked, there was no rule that forbade anyone from using a weapon, and this fire stick here could be considered one… Am I wrong, Your Highness?" Nox looked at the Ant Queen.
The ant queen shook her head, which deepened the frown on the king's face. He hadn't expected the human to use his greatest weakness against him in the fight. It was an unpredictable development, and the ant king was conflicted on what to do. But at the same time, he couldn't go back on his words.
Doing that would make all his subordinates lose respect for him; he could tell from the way they looked at the human with admiration. It was only a matter of time before they completely lost all respect.
The last thing he wanted was to hasten the process. With this fight, the king hoped to reclaim the honor and respect he had lost.
[Very well then. What did I expect from a lowly human?] The ant king sneered as he took a fighting stance. [Of course, you'll always use cheap tricks to win a fight.]
"Cheap tricks, you say." Nox laughed at the ant's mentality. "It doesn't matter how the fight is won. What matters is the outcome."
Saying this, Nox expertly leaped out of the deep pit, leaving a slight crack where he previously stood. Most of the ants didn't notice it, but the ant king had.
"At the count of two, the fight will begin!" Nox shouted at the top of his voice, also acting as the referee in the match.
"3… 2… 1… Begin!"
Instantly, Thirteen and the ant king started to walk toward each other. The ant king struggled to keep his fearless exterior as he drew closer to Thirteen. From time to time, his expression would crack, but he would fix it back as soon as possible. The panda giggled and started to juggle the flaming stick in the air.
The distance between them shortened faster and faster, and when they were only an arm's length apart, Thirteen made the first move. He grabbed the flying flaming stick from the air and lashed out at the ant king, who tried to parry the attack.
The ant king successfully parried the attack and slammed his fist into the panda. However, Thirteen rolled away just in time, and the ant king's powerful fist slammed into the ground, sending dust and debris through the air.
The ant king groaned in frustration and quickly jumped toward the panda, and the two clashed. Thirteen usually uses his fists too, but he decided against it as the flaming stick seemed to cause more damage to the ant king.
The ant king's frustration built up more and more because he felt he could easily crush the panda, but the flaming sticks made him cautious. Due to his inherent fear, the ant king flinched back from time to time; even his attacks were controlled as he was scared of the blazing fire touching his skin.
It had happened twice now, and the beast's HP took a dip. Time was running out! Now the ant king regretted his life choices.
He had thought the human had been stupid to even propose something like this. But after seeing the current situation, he couldn't help but curse Nox to his 100th generation.
*****
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