Dungeon (6)

Kazuma glanced around and resolved to again dive into enemy territory. Although this whole dungeon was the ants' home, Kazuma and his so-called master black mage, Zoukar, invaded that home of theirs.

However, their attempt wasn’t limited to invading; this time they were going to massacre ant offspring, who could rise against the enemies as workers or soldiers. With a deep sigh, Kazuma resolved his heart to steel over his next action.

He stepped forward into the chamber while the ants were involved with Zoukar’s undead soldiers. A loud pumping sound could be heard from the tiny heart of his small reptile body. He swallowed as a chill trickled down his body.

Gradually, he closed the distance between him and the eggs, but the black ants were still protecting the eggs with their lives. Someone had to attract the attention of those ants for Kazuma to use his trick.

As if Zoukar realized what he was doing, he summoned more of his undead and directed them at the black ants. Meanwhile, the red ants destroyed the previous soldiers in those moments.

The next wave of undead soldiers was intercepted by the red ants before the black ones could fight the battle. However, these few seconds of killing intent by the next undead wave shifted their attention.

Kazuma required only this opening to wiggle his way through the ant defense. He slithered sneakily and crawled between those giant ants, at last reaching closer to the eggs. He let out a sigh of relief since the first step of the plan was almost complete.

He glanced back at Zoukar, who gave him a smirk to proceed further as ordered. Kazuma glared at the yellowish-textured giant eggs. In some corners of his heart, he hesitated to massacre children, but if he had to survive, it was a necessary action.

Kazuma concentrated mana around him to summon forth the flame element in his mouth. At that moment, when mana strangely increased around the eggs, the worker ants noticed the flickering around them and twitched their antennae.

They turned back to the eggs and found an unfamiliar beast closer to the eggs. Perplexed and enraged by that scene, they all crackled and roared to warn their allies in that chamber. Their loud transmission echoed with each other's crackling.

Now every ant had caught and memorized the reptile Kazuma in their sight. No invader ever got their hands on their beloved ants. However, their defense was breached today by a tiny reptile. This action widened their component eyes and jaws, making weird sounds.

Kazuma understood the rage brewing in those ants, which also revolved around his current predicament. Now he knew another reason why Zoukar sent him there. That was a trap where Kazuma was stuck between the bloodthirsty ants.

He had no option after arriving at this place. Zoukar must have planned the whole thing to force Kazuma to strike, even if his resolve may have wavered by this time. Although he thought Kazuma couldn't defy him, his instincts must have foretold a perfect strategy.

With no opening to escape, Kazuma sighed and conjured fierce flames from within his mouth. The slight glance of flames frosted the ants, and they all shrieked together. No ant was afraid of itself. Their concern was for the eggs, who were most vulnerable to even a flick of flame.

However, Kazuma had a whole fireball in his mouth. This magic was the perfect counter to these ants in one way or another. Flames could decimate the ant exoskeleton and even smolder its eggs.

Before the ants could leap onto Kazuma, he flapped his wings and flew above them. Then he chanted, "[Fireball]". Wielding the destructive flames, he flew through the enemies and aimed at the eggs.

Gradually, he shot a series of fireballs around the whole chamber, which spread like a forest fire all over. The texture of the egg had the best composition for catching a flicker of flame, but Kazuma summoned its full wave here.

All the ants shrieked with the drive when their compound eyes watched the eggs' incinerating in the flames. Many of them attempted to protect the eggs, but all in vain. Others just stood in their position, stunned and dismayed.

However, Zoukar's undead soldiers had no qualms with fire. They charged even if the chamber was blazing with destruction. The stunned ants got surrounded and gradually lit in the scorching heat.

One by one, the eggs caught fire without leaving a single one. For the first time in his next life, Kazuma realized the true strength of his basic level magic spell. If used at the right time, this magic could incinerate his enemies into nothing.

Kazuma gazed at the burning enemies and heard their screams in his ears. He sighed and flew out of the chamber swiftly so as not to catch his flames. That would be lame for anyone.

Suddenly, a burst of loud laughter emerged from the entrance, certainly belonging to Zoukar. He chortled and giggled while grasping his stomach. This scenario was hilarious for him, yet Kazuma could feel only disgust for the mage.

Even though it was necessary, one should not laugh at others' agony and pain. The same could happen to one another when their time comes. Belittling others is never the rightful action. Kazuma understood this fact, but even he wouldn't believe such morality since nothing ever happened to the ones who bullied and trampled over him in his previous life.

Suddenly, his previous painful memories resurface again, which he never wanted to remember again in this world. He wanted to live freely and experience something beautiful and peaceful here.

He sighed and thought inwardly, "I hope I won't find anyone from the earth here. That would be too frustrating for me."

Then he again glanced at Zoukar, who still had not enough of his ecstasy and schadenfreude from the ants' loss.