Chapter 679: [Wave 4 – Ghostveil Ants]

[Wave 4 – Ghostveil Ants]

Kael’s face turned solemn, he knew what was coming.

And it was worse than before. Just to test it out one time, he tried to search through the Swarmmind, but just as it happened the last time he came here—

He couldn’t see anything.

The tunnels far away, ceiling roots, lower burrows, main paths, he searched everywhere and there was nothing.

Well, more accurately, he couldn’t find them.

The Ghostveil Ants were different from the Mindless Ants he had just faced, they knew how to hide their presence.

However, if Kael focused enough, he could still see them.

Pale ants with thin, almost transparent bodies moving inside the cracks, their shells looked like faded bone, their steps made no sound. Kael couldn’t sense them, even through the Swarmmind.

The worst part was that the Ghostveil Ants attacked directly where Imperia was.

The Brood Chamber.

And even though Kael knew that, even though he knew this was exactly where they would start, he couldn’t stop them simply because none of his ants were small enough to fit inside the holes these little things came from.

These little things came from places one would usually ignore. This was the reason they made his life hell the last time he came here.

However, now that he understood how they moved and their pattern, Kael was prepared.

The Ghostveil Ants moved deeper, ignoring the main defensive ring, crawling right through the tiniest cracks in the walls, through the thinnest root tunnels—

Their goal was clear.

The Brood Chamber.

And Kael was ready.

He moved his tiny scout ants, making them rush into the cracks. The needle ants followed, then the worker ants sealed the outer cracks, making sure the Ghostveil Ants were trapped inside.

Soon, however, the Ghostveil Ants, who still believed they were hidden, figured out that the enemy had found them.

So they sped up.

A group of them reached the outer wall of the Brood Chamber. To stop them, the needle ants launched themselves forward. Many of them missed, but those who didn’t—

They passed right through the Ghostveil Ants, killing them on the spot.

His needle ants continued to move, attacking the Ghostveil Ants, though the damage they were doing was quite insignificant since most of them were missing.

Kael stared at it all. He too knew how inefficient it was, but this was a part of the plan.

After all, he knew this group they were after was only bait, the real attack was coming from the other side.

Dozens of Ghostveil Ants were already inside the hidden paths, some hid behind the shield ring, some above the chamber, some under the roots, they all waited for Kael to panic.

Hoping that Kael would send all his forces after the first group, leaving them a clear, open path. Just that...

Kael knew what was coming.

He had been a victim of the exact same plan before.

Then finally, once Kael felt like everything was prepared, he gave the order.

All his smallest ants moved at once, filling the hidden spaces, cracks, roots, holes, walls, ceiling gaps, empty tunnels, everything.

This way, every time the Ghostveil Ants moved to attack, their position would be exposed, taking away their biggest advantage.

Kael still couldn’t properly see them, but with the arrangements he had made, it wouldn’t be very difficult.

For a short moment, neither the Ghostveil Ants nor Kael’s ants moved.

The Ghostveil Ants wanted to keep their advantage. They wanted to remain hidden and they knew moving forward would make that impossible.

However—

Unlike Kael, who had all the time in the world, they did not.

Because Kael’s acid ants were filling their tiniest pathways with dangerous acid.

The moment that happened, the moment a few of the Ghostveil Ants were killed by the acid, the rest had no choice but to move, and the instant they passed through Kael’s tiny ants, their location was revealed.

With that, the rest of the Hive moved.

Needle ants struck exposed targets, acid ants flooded the cracks, worker ants sealed escape routes, shield ants pressed their bodies against the Brood Chamber, covering the amber shell completely, and the soldier ants waited at the exits and tore apart any Ghostveil Ant that tried to escape.

The first group that had acted as bait quickly realised the plan had gone awry. They tried to move back to help, but Kael appeared right in front of them.

Then—

[Ancient Pulse]

He activated his trusted ability.

Flames formed around him, scorching his surroundings together with the ants.

The Ghostveil Ants never stood a chance.

With that, the Ghostveil Ants fell inside the paths that only they could move through, inside their own domain. It was quite ironic, to die inside the place where they felt the strongest.

When the last Ghostveil Ant was dragged out of a crack near the chamber and crushed beneath the mandibles of three soldier ants, the Hive went silent again.

The message Kael was getting familiar with appeared.

[Wave 4 Cleared.]

Kael didn’t smile. Instead, he looked at the Brood Chamber and placed his hand on its surface, feeling Imperia’s heartbeat.

He could tell that his little one inside was safe and she was cheering him on.

That was more than any motivation he needed. Finally, Kael sighed, preparing himself.

Yes, he was nervous. After all, this was the first time he was going to face whatever was coming next. The Ghostveil Ants had managed to move past his defences back then.

And because he didn’t know who or what the enemy was—

Kael wasn’t exactly prepared.

Still, Kael knew he didn’t have a lot of time. Sure, he could theoretically use this chance to come in, understand the enemy, and strategise like he had been doing till now.

But that would waste an entire day and, for some reason, Kael couldn’t help but feel that from this point on, every day counted.

So instead—

Kael made up his mind.

He was going to end this once and for all, right here.

And as if the system could sense his readiness, the next message appeared.

[Final Wave – The Undereign Devourer]