The once-thirty division leaders had been decimated in less than a month, leaving just eight survivors: Colt, the firstborn division commander, along with Peggy, the Turtle Chimera Ant, Yunju, the Bear Chimera Ant, Ikalgo the Octopus Chimera Ant, Meleoron, and a few others. These survivors were either fiercely loyal to the queen or simply lacked ambition.
Unlike many division leaders who frequently hunted outside the nest, these eight were rarely sent on missions and generally had calmer personalities, which helped them survive this long. Yet, deep down, they all feared that their own turn to die was coming next.
The position of the high-level division commander was now seriously vacant, and the corps captains below had suffered heavy casualties, with only a few survivors left.
Among them were Spinner, a rabbit-shaped chimera ant who looked like a little girl; Ikalgo, who resembled a cooked octopus; and the koala chimera ants, known for their love of drinking.
These remaining division leaders and corps captains had all performed reasonably well in the original mission. The other chimera ants had died early on and essentially became experience points for the Pokémon.
With so few high-level ants left to guide the lower-level soldier ants, the challenge now was securing enough food. The ants had to take the lead in finding food, or else the queen's pregnancy would be jeopardized, and the guards, focused on protecting the queen, would likely kill them.
What they didn't realize was that, thanks to Larry's arrangements, there were no humans left for miles around the ant nest; the humans had long since fled, making it even harder for the ants to find food.
"Damn it! Those guards don't care about us at all, they only care about the queen," Yunju spat bitterly, completely disheartened by the escort team's cold attitude. Right now, going out meant certain death, but staying inside meant starvation, a dilemma with no easy way out.
Meleoron stayed quiet, his expression growing more serious. It seemed the guards didn't just care about the queen, they cared only about the king growing inside her.
They protected the queen now because she needed to give birth to the king. But what would happen once the king was born? Where would the queen and the rest of them go?
Meanwhile, in another part of the ant nest, Menthuthuyoupi crossed his arms and muttered in a low, irritated voice, "What a bunch of useless ants. They were almost wiped out by the enemy in such a short time?"
(Since his name is too long, I will just adress him as Youpi now.)
Youpi was a powerful chimera ant, with red skin and bulging muscles. His face, without eyebrows, resembled Finks from the Phantom Troupe, and he shared the same fiery temper.
As the last chimera ant born among the three guards, Youpi was quite different from the others. His genes were a chaotic mix from various monsters, and although he now took on a human-like form, his true appearance was far from it.
Youpi was like a big piece of clay, able to shape itself in countless ways. Want to fly? It could grow fleshy wings on its back. Need to move faster? It could transform its lower body into that of a horse, giving it the appearance of a centaur.
Thanks to the many genes it carried, Youpi could take on many forms. Naturally, being a product of these warlike genes, it was extremely aggressive, its body pulsing with bloodlust.
"Why don't you just let me handle things and tear those enemies apart?" Youpi said, looking at Shaiapouf, who was quietly playing the violin, completely absorbed in the music.
"That is indeed troubling," Shaiapouf said softly, his voice elegant and composed, almost feminine.
"The queen's nourishment is dwindling. Our soldiers have only been able to capture meager prey as of late. Most of what sustains us now comes from dwindling reserves."
He paused, folding his hands as his golden eyes narrowed in thought. "Should this lack of sustenance hinder the King's birth… we would bear the weight of that failure."
Lifting his gaze, a calculating gleam appeared in his eyes. "Those humans... they are no ordinary beings. I believe they belong to what one might call a 'rare species.' If we eliminate them and offer their remains to the queen, it could greatly aid the King's development."
The more he thought about it, the more Youpi felt the need to take action. But the question was how. He had held back so far, fearing it might be a trap.
"Meow," Neferpitou suddenly said, stretching lazily on a worn-out sofa she had found somewhere. Her eyes gleamed with curiosity and a strong desire to fight.
"Why don't you let me handle this? You and Youpi can stay in the ant nest to protect the queen. I'm fast and can react quickly if anything goes wrong."
After nearly a month without much action, she was itching to get out and have some fun, just like that night when the battle had been so thrilling.
Shaiapouf glanced at the eager Neferpitou with a cool expression, shook his head, and declined her offer. Her playful nature was obvious, and he wasn't confident she could get out safely if things went wrong.
The same worries weighed on youpi, he was hesitant about taking action on his own. Unlike Neferpitou, who was highly intelligent yet playful, Youpi's intelligence was lacking.
Despite his strength, he couldn't be sure he wouldn't fall into a clever trap if he went out alone. If he left the nest by himself, he feared he wouldn't be able to manage it properly as an intellectual guardian.
Neither Neferpitou nor Youpi could fully handle the responsibility of guarding the ant nest. If either of them fell for an enemy's trick, it could spell disaster. As these thoughts ran through his mind, Youpi suddenly started playing his violin again, his expression turning sentimental.
"My King, as always, I am your most devoted and capable servant," Shaiapouf said with a flourish, his tone graceful yet tinged with superiority. "Compared to myself, the others… well, they lack the refinement necessary to truly understand your magnificence."
In his eyes, he was the ultimate royal guard, he only one whose heart and soul were completely aligned with the King's divine purpose. Neferpitou and Youpi were loyal, yes, but crude in comparison. Only Pouf could uphold the King's glory with the reverence it deserved.
Nearby, Youpi raised a brow, visibly confused.
"Huh? What's he rambling about now?" he muttered, scratching his head and glancing sideways at Neferpitou. The red gleam in his eyes flickered with faint irritation.
Pitou, crouched beside him with a curious smile, didn't seem bothered. "Ignore him," she said with a shrug, casually flicking their tail. "That's just Pouf being Pouf."
(I will do the same one other, neferpitou to pitou and Shaiapouf to pouf.)
Suddenly, a series of agonized screams echoed from deep within the ant nest. The heart-wrenching cries spread throughout the entire nest, causing every chimera ant to turn their gaze toward the source. They all knew instantly, it was the queen's scream.