Chapter 214: Chapter 214: The middle forest (5)- 3 evolution pathways
"Wait, something is not right, Elias..." Theo spoke with a horrified expression.
Before Elias could even ask something, Theo got up and straight up grabbed his arms tightly.
Elias winced with pain, this was the first time he realized that Theo’s grip was so tight.
"That seed... where is it from? It was a beast, right?" Theo asked with widened eyes.
It took Elias a moment to think about what Theo was talking about.
"I gave you quite a few seeds that could also be considered a core for the plant beasts. Please tell me what happened, young master. Should we ask for help?"
"What? No! Just tell me if one of these plant beasts has the ability to grow bigger with sunlight?" Theo asked.
"You mean Direvine Stalker?"
"Do they have this trait?"
"Ah... yes, I think so. They are known to have their vines grow really big and infest the place they belong to. It does happen with the contact of sunlight, yes." Elias explained in confusion.
Theo finally removed his grip from Elias’s hand, making him hold his arms.
Theo saw the small print of his fingers on his arms and he soon came to realization again.
"I-I am sorry."
"Don’t worry about it, young master. It didn’t hurt." Elias spoke with a chuckle.
While Theo might have apologized, there had already been a smile that had bloomed on his face.
He looked at one of the notifications on the side that he hadn’t pushed off.
[Next Evolution: Spined Worker Ant (optional)]
[Requirements:
Reach level 4 (1/3)
Absorb a fragment of the crystalized seed (1/1)
Defeat an enemy at least 1 grade higher (0/3)]
[Evolution Traits:
Spined Mandibles (Ability) – Mandibles sprout crystalized thorns that deliver a venomous cut
Solar Conversion Carapace (Mutation) – The carapace absorbs natural sunlight and uses the energy to permanently increase size]
This was what made Theo bonkers, the second ability of the evolution was just ridiculous.
He refrained from telling this to Elias yet but he ordered a lot more seeds as only a few of the ants were able to consume this one.
There were other evolutions too and Theo went through them all in detail.
’The water slime, a native species of another menial kingdom... can’t believe it gave such a good evolution path...’
[Next Evolution: Aquamandible Worker Ant (optional)]
[Requirements:
Reach level 3 (0/3)
Absorb a fragment of the water affinity core (1/1)
Defeat an enemy at least 1 grade higher (0/3)]
[Evolution Traits:
Water Shot (Ability) – Shoots a shot of water toward the target
Aqua Sac (Gland) – A small sac that converts the humidity in the atmosphere into liquid water]
’This aqua sac... an organ as good as the mantis’s poison-producing gland, I should not let this go...’ Theo thought and decided to give as many of the ants this evolution.
’And out of all the cores and other stuff I fed the ants, I only got 3 evolution options which is still a lot and the options are really really good... even the last one, goddamn....’
[Next Evolution: Embermaw Worker Ant (optional)]
[Requirements:
Reach level 3 (1/3)
Absorb a fragment of the fire affinity core (1/1)
Defeat an enemy at least 1 grade higher (0/1)]
[Evolution Traits:
Ember Spit – Expels a blob of burning resin that ignites the moment it comes in contact with the air.
Ember Sac – Converts the heat of the body into burnable resin and stores it in the sac.
Charred Carapace – A darkened carapace with heat resistance reducing fire damage.]
A shiver of excitement went through Theo’s spine.
"I was doing it all wrong all this time, Elias. They didn’t need ores like the mantis; they have earth affinity, not metal... hmm which somewhat makes sense. The cores were the ones that finally helped the situation." Theo stated out loud, making Elias nod with a smile.
"But I can’t believe you were able to procure so many cores in such a small time. Were these in the storage of the castle?"
"No, young master. Only 1 core was in the storage while all the others came from the market of the town, young master." Elias spoke with a calm tone, but in Theo’s perspective, he could see this pride in his eyes, which made him grin.
"You’re really the best information grabber, Elias. I am glad you joined our team." Theo said with a happy tone.
Elias gave a deep bow to accept the appreciation and also to hide his happy face from Theo. Anybody would like such appreciation of one’s ability and the feeling of being wanted.
Before Theo left for the terrarium, he went to the mantis to tap it on its face a few times before deciding which ant should get which direction of evolution.
When he left the room and it was just the mantis and Elias.
The mantis tapped its forelegs together making a ’CLANG’ sound as if metal was being hit against metal.
Elias’s eyebrow twitched before a chuckle followed suit.
"You really are a glutton," he stated slowly and went close to it and moved something out of his pocket.
There was a piece of shining ore in his hand and the mantis hopped off the table and latched itself on it to already start eating, giving Elias a scare before he chuckled again.
He moved the ore and the attached mantis together to the table and kept it there for it to enjoy.
Theo was at the colony where he had made all the level 3 ants come out of the soil and get in a line.
"There are 30 of you right now, and most of you are still at the beginning of level 3... nowhere near level 4 for becoming Spined Worker Ants...." Theo stated out loud for his own convenience.
He wrote down the figure ’30’ and made them go inside through the ant queen before he brought in the other level 2 ones and counted.
"70 level 2 Worker Ants, alright, you will be the Embermaw Worker Ants now after reaching level 3." Theo decided and wrote down.
He made them go inside and repeated the process before writing down his decisions.
"The 350 level 1s will reach level 3 late and will be divided into Aquamandible and Embermaw Worker Ants."
"The level 0s will be decided later on, there are 400 of you lot. But before I level you up, I know for a fact there will be a hundred more of you."
"And for the ant queen... what evolution should I give it? All the ants that will be born after the ant queen’s evolution will be the new species... so exciting!"
Happy laughs seemed to resound inside the terrarium room making Elias shook his head with a chuckle.