Chapter 577 - Downward Growth (Patreon)

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"Dammit, Vibrant! NO! It's going to take us a while to get there, okay?! We're moving as fast as we can already. We can't go any faster than this. Just think of something else to talk about!"

A moment of blessed, blessed silence descends amongst our group as we run through the tunnels. My pets and I are all here, along with Vibrant and her whole posse, several hundred ants at this point, as well as my twenty 'shadow helpers.' This is the advance group of powerful troops that I've chosen to take on a push further into the depths of the Dungeon. A special mission, in a sense. If the warning given to me by Corun and Torrina is true, then there's likely to be more settlements, cities, probably larger ones that Rylleh, below us. My suspicion is that the next closest path of attack is likely to be from deeper in the third strata or perhaps even in the third. The Colony needs to get its eyes as deep as possible and we will be the vanguard of that.

I still feel a little useless. Although I think this work is necessary and that we're the best the group in the Colony for the job, I have to say that the real work, of building the nests, rearing the young, developing the culture and taming new territory, you know, actually constructing the kingdom of the Colony. It kind of fields strange to consider of my family as now large enough, and powerful enough, to be taking territory and building something that is closer to a nation than a family. But hey, hard to keep a good ant down. Can't really fault them for being the industrious, powerful and all around awesome collective of kick-ass insects. They gonna do what they gonna do.

As the Eldest, it's my duty to oversee and support them as they grow! Not to inhibit their dreams and desires!

"Are we there yet?"

"GAH! Vibrant! Aren't you evolved now? All grown? You're a leader, you have your squad that follows you around and all that? You have a position on the council! How the heck are you still this impatient?!"

"What do you mean? I've always been like this! Why? Do you think there's some reason for me to change? I've just kept on doing things the way I've always done them! It's been working out okay!"

I eye her sceptically. She's still this casual and cavalier, yet things have been working out alright? Somehow I'm doubting that. I take a moment to have a look at the group of ants that is dutifully following along in their leader's wake. If Vibrant actually hasn't changed from the hyper-energetic, impulsive and enthusiastic ant that I recall, how the heck are any of these Colony members still alive?!

One of the smaller ants trailing along behind us appears to nod her head a little at my words before catching herself and checking to make sure Vibrant hasn't noticed. Vibrant, of course, hasn't, as she's too busy nattering on and flicking her antenna in every direction as new scents make themselves known to her. Sigh. I honestly thought she'd grown past this stage. Perhaps all the organs and mutations she has that emphasise speed are just making her experience moments of relatively normal movement as painfully slow? I mean, we're all running right now, but there's no doubt that she could speed ahead of us with ease should she choose to do so.

"Well, what have you been doing lately? I can see that your group has grown in size again. How do you recruit member, anyway? They just show up out of the blue?"

"Uhhh, where's the blue? This place is pretty dark, is this the black? The mana in the first strata is blue! Do you mean they come from the first strata? I suppose so since that's where we're all raised. Not me though! I spent a lot of time on the surface when I was a hatchling, didn't I? I mean, I don't need to tell you that, you were there too. Well, not all the time, but you know what I mean."

"I do."

This is exhausting.

"No, it's just a saying that refers to… never mind. Where do they come from?"

"Oh well, I don't know really. They approach me and ask if they can join the group and I always say yes, because, why not? We're ants, after all! We're happier and more effective the more of us are around!"

She says that as if it were just common sense and I suppose for ants it is. I can think of a lot of humans who didn't necessarily enjoy the company of other people. I mean, as a human I frequently tried to get people to enjoy my company, but I don't think I could say I was successful. I mean, my family parent's certainly didn't like spending time with me, given the whole abandonment thing. I guess not all humans enjoy company? Personally, the ant vibe is good, now that I'm more accustomed to it. The more of my siblings there are, the more comfortable I feel.

"So you don't have any criteria or anything? Everyone is welcome?"

"Yep-yep!"

I turn my attention toward the smaller ant I noticed behind us and she tenses immediately, not expecting me to focus on her.

"So tell me, what made you want to follow Vibrant?"

I mean, I know that Vibrant is a champion monster, as they're described by the humans. Individuals born with higher stats, better evolutions and a strange capacity for leadership that attracts others towards them. To my knowledge, another champion is yet to be born in the Colony, but it's only a matter of time. The more we understand them and the way they work, the better we can make use of their talents.

The ant, a general by the look of her, considers my question seriously for a moment before she answers.

"I felt that aiding and assisting Vibrant would be the best outcome for the Colony and for myself. I believe I made the right choice, considering all that we've been able to achieve."

Good answer. Vibrant and her team have been in the hottest and most active areas of the Colony's expansion, for sure. Not to mention the role they played in extracting my butt from the fire after I was captured. Interesting that she put forward that she was motivated by a 'feeling'. Was that inspired by the mysterious champion quality that Vibrant possesses?

[Massssster.]

[Oh. What's up Invidia? You sense something?]

[I foundsss an expansssssse. I crave it's secretss!]

[And you'll get 'em chief!]

Not that you'll be satisfied…

"Hey, Vibrant. Invidia says he's found an expanse nearby."

"Yay-yay! Let's gooooo!" 

And she's off.

"I didn't tell you WHERE! HEY?!"