Chapter 117 Raid (1/2)

I'm so d.a.m.n hungry!

As I human I never would have expected that digging would be so tiring. Although, unlike when I was a human I've been able to move a h.e.l.l of a lot more dirt. With my excavation skill targeting my instincts and my mandibles acting as a movable super shovel, I can really smash out some tunnel s.p.a.ce.

All the work is really putting a strain on my empty stomach. When Tiny awoke I had him collect my monster cores and then put him to work compacting the dirt at the rear of the tunnel, despite having eaten relatively recently my ape buddy is also starving.

I can only imagine how the Queen is feeling. She appears to be fine, cheerfully chomping away at the earth and encouraging the workforce with her seemingly endless positivity.

My mind isn't completely focused on the digging I have to admit. As often as I can I activate the mana sensing skill, desperately searching for some sign of a source of food! On the positive side my constant scanning and digging has raised my skills, mana sensing by two levels and excavation by one, on the negative I'm yet to find anything.

In my tunnel map the escape tunnel continues to spear upwards and outwards into empty s.p.a.ce. I am somewhat worried about where exactly we will surface, the best I can say is that it will be several kilometres away from the guarded entrance I ran into at the very least.

As I grow more and more depressed with the failure to locate anything I finally get a response.

At last! A bite on the line!

As the skill level has risen the range I can detect mana successfully has likewise increased, which is lucky since I doubt I would've been able to reach this response otherwise. Very faintly on the edge of my awareness I can barely sense the ripples of mana. Strong or weak I can't tell at this stage, the only way to get a more accurate reading would be to get closer.

It's been a number of hours since the last time the colony had access to any sort of food, not to mention, if I pa.s.s up this reading there is no guarantee another one will come in range of my mana sensing before we reach the surface, the entire colony could starve to death by then!

I won't risk it. The tunnel needs to be diverted. I turn to the Queen.

”I've found a source of food!” I say, ”We have to divert the tunnel slightly in order to reach it.”

The Queen pauses in her digging to turn her face towards me, I take it as I sign of politeness since, as an ant she doesn't need to turn her face to see me (compound eyes) nor to speak to me (pheromone communication).

”Do you know what you have found, child?” she asks.

I can only be honest here. ”I have absolutely no clue, but we may all starve to death in a few days if we aren't able to secure some food soon. If we pa.s.s up this chance we might not get another”.

The Queen ponders this for a moment before waggling her antennae in agreement. ”You speak sensibly child, tell me where to dig”.