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Chapter 1694 - Agreements
🕑 Added 2025-10-10 01:00:02 +0000 UTC[Where is it?] Chyron demanded.
Solant looked up at her, clacking her mandibles softly.
[It? You could be referring to any of a million different objects, Commander. How can I possibly know which one you mean?]
The Legionary Officer was certain the ant knew perfectly well what she meant.
[The monster,] she snapped. [I know it’s left the evolution chamber and you haven’t alerted us. This isn’t what we agreed.]
The little ant drew her antenna through her elbow joints.
[Don’t tell me I could be referring to any of millions of monsters,] Chyron said, [you know to what I refer.]
[I know to whom you refer,] Solant returned. [The Eldest is not an object, they are a being, a person. You should refer to them as such.]
[The Legion does not and will not recognise monsters as people,] Chyron replied.
It wasn’t the first, nor the fifth time they’d had this argument. Chyron refused to budge, and Solant wouldn’t stop bringing it up, so they were doomed to repeat it over and over again.
[The Eldest awoke several days ago and has been recovering in the company of their family.]
[We were to be informed when they left the chamber, do you not recall your own agreement?] Chyron demanded.
[I was just on my way to inform you, as a matter of fact. Why do you think I’m here, so close to your barracks?]
Games. Always more games. Chyron glared at the ant in front of her, but Solant merely stared back, cool and placid as always. She was perfectly aware that sending a runner would have been quicker. For some reason, Solant was delaying them. Just where was that damned ant going?
[You are skirting dangerously close to violating the terms of the agreement.]
[But not actually violating them,] Solant pointed out. [The Eldest recently left their chamber, and I am here informing you of that fact. Have you chosen your designated liaison? I will make sure they are taken to the Eldest as soon as possible.]
Hands on her hips, Chyron considered what to do next. Not for the first time, she wished she had something nearby she could hit. For six months, her Legion had been ordered to sit on their hands and wait, a monumental waste of resources while the world started to crack under the strain of repeated waves. To a soldier, inactivity was simply part of the job. Ninety five percent boredom, five percent adrenaline-pumping abject terror. She was used to that. But the boredom became far less tolerable when there was no action to break it up!
Tracking a monster as powerful as the ant was necessary, putting them down was even better, she knew that, she just never imagined she’d be forced into such an extended period of inactivity.
When the damned thing had finally woken up, she’d been happy. At least something was finally going to happen! Only, the devious general had immediately let the creature slip the net and run off somewhere, without Legion supervision.
[Where is it?] Chyron demanded, still considering her next course of action.
[The Eldest? In the fourth stratum,] Solant replied calmly.
[The fourth!?]
[Yes.]
A tier eight mythic up in the fourth? That would be uncomfortable for it. Not to mention the Call dragging on its soul. Why in the world would the thing go into the fourth stratum?
Evolving in the fifth had been a secret coup for the damned ant. Other than the Krath and the legionaries in the nest, nobody had been able to sense the evolution taking place, and neither of those two was in any position to do anything about it.
Chyron had informed her superiors, of course, but even if the Legion had spread the knowledge around, monster hunters weren’t going to delve into the fifth stratum to try and claim the prize.
Hidden from the sight of the world’s Dungeon Seers, the ant had managed to rise to tier eight in almost total secrecy. Now they were running around on the fourth again.
Why?
There’d been something in her reports recently… what was it again?
[Commander? Your liaison?] Solant asked.
[Be silent for a moment. I’m thinking.]
[You are quite rude.]
Keeping tabs on the goings- on within the Colony was almost impossible. They were spread over such a wide area, and there were so many of them now, that there were dozens of developments every single day. As an industrious monster, there seemed to be no slowing of momentum either. Yet, the fortress here in the fifth remained the focus of almost all their efforts, and news travelled through the non-ants who worked alongside the insects.
News that was quietly collected by Legionaries and brought back to her.
Reports from the fourth stratum were bizarre most of the time. Something about ball games? Strange business practices and fees… no, nothing like that. Tensions… Ddelvers.
It came back to her in a snap of the fingers.
Green Mountain!
[I’ve picked my liaison,] Chyron snapped.
[Who is it?]
[Me. Where is the monster?]
[To which…]
[I’ll find it myself!] the Commander roared, turning and sprinting away.
She needed her armour and she needed it immediately.
Solant watched the Commander run, impressed by the speed at which the human woman could move. Her agreement with the Legion meant that they were able to keep a liaison with the Eldest at all times, though the post had been redundant while they were sleeping. She hadn’t expected the Commander to choose herself, and she would probably insist on taking some of her officers with her, which would skirt the edges of the agreement they had made without breaking it.
Yet, would a handful of Legionaries be able to handle the Eldest anymore? Solant doubted it.
She doubted it very much.
Well, back to managing the largest war in the history of the fifth stratum. Did these people really think she didn’t have anything better to do?
Comments
MUXIBA azarado
The thing that makes me like or not a light novel or not is how the writer shows the personality of a goofy yet sérios carácter (Any of the ants). I must say in this regard this is definitely one of the best novels I have ever read!
Edgar Glz
I wonder if Anthony finally get his skills upgraded
alt31415
Rammon has stated that 'fully manifesting' in the 4th is uncomfortable for him due to the thin mana.
Kevin Wilson
Honestly? They would have had a tough time defeating him before he evolved. But his tier 8 evolution is crazy strong! With his healing fluid system and his new mana organs how can they win? His reserves seem endless compared to a normal creature, humans included. I can’t wait to seem him fight seriously.
bobby2dreki
Not even the free version on royal road? I guess it isn't financial circumstances then.
Icharris
Thanks for the chapter. One thing I’d confusing. Isn’t there a t9 dragon that the golden city or whatever keeps? I’m sure a T9 must be mythic. Is it that weird to see a T8 on the 4th? We even saw three T8’s if I recall correctly (and they were mythic no?) on the 3rd stratum that Anthony took out with help. Levels and normal limits for the dungeon layers are getting a bit wonky
alt31415
Chyron is about to commit suicide by Anthony. ... thanks for this story, by the way. It brought a lot of joy into my life to read it. Circumstances in my life mean I probably won't be able to read it any longer. May Anthony's itch never subside and may Odrin get chomped by the facehands.
Ben
I love all the ant interactions with the legion. Some of my favorite moments. I’m sure it will sour at some point as relations deteriorate but still so much fun
Mo Alawami
Nice 😂
David Harshman
Might be able to warn them, I guess...
Anthony Romanov
The amount of Sassiness dripping from Solant would cover entire Fifth! 😏🐜🚒
Buck
Can’t see any way Chyron and one or more of her officers will be able to stop Anthony from chastising Green Mountain and their delvers. Straighten’em out, Anthony!
Roombot
She’ll be just in time to yell at Anthony to stop, and be utterly ignored.
Roombot
HA!
Huy Ngo
I should have just waited 🫠 because this pain me
kev mil
I would love to some how see any lawyers in the colony. Morganant and Morgant for the colony.
Huy Ngo
Hey…. I’m fucking mad :/ . A whole month of nothing. Thank for the chapter 😑
Earl Roberts
Absolutely amazing story still love it after so long !!
Hayden Leech
I love solant.
blucube 14
Thanks for the chapter! I love the sass from Solant lol
Shaitan
Curious if she will able to catch up before the mountain becomes a molehill
Napalm078
"Tensions… Ddelvers." One of those ds needs to be gone Thank you for the chapter :D
No_Creative_Name
Oh, chyron. What a lovely time you’re in for.
Student of Asacoco University
Busy busy ant
