The Return of the Betrayed Heir

24

Alex continued through the forest, utilizing his superhuman senses to pinpoint and eradicate any remaining Slaughter Ants. Drawing upon knowledge from his past life, he could have marched directly toward their primary hive, but clearing the immediate surroundings remained the top priority.

Detecting rapid movement approaching his position, Alex drew his black sword and assumed a battle-ready stance. Five deer burst through the thickets in quick succession, fleeing in terror. Narrowing his eyes, Alex lunged forward, weaving cleanly between the panicking animals. As a Slaughter Ant pursuing the herd lunged at him, he ducked slightly to evade its snapping mandibles. Imbuing his black sword with Blood Flames, he severed its head in a single fluid motion. The entire engagement lasted less than five seconds.

Alex had grown taller and noticeably more muscular. He wore a fitted black t-shirt that defined his build, and his hair—longer than before—was swept back loosely rather than tied. During his three years within the Elven Kingdom, he had refined his strength considerably: he had constructed his third core star, achieved vastly superior mana control, and mastered his command over Greed.

A massive explosion echoed in the distance, followed by columns of dark smoke rising above the canopy. Alex sprinted toward the disturbance, leaping across the treetops and utilizing wind magic to glide through the air. From his aerial vantage point, he surveyed the battlefield; the sounds of clashing steel indicated that the elven forces were largely securing victory.

Descending smoothly to the source of the smoke, Alex observed ten Worker Ants feasting upon the carcasses of slain beasts. He unsheathed the three-eyed sword, Greed, from his arm. The moment he released his suffocating kill intent, the ants froze, turning toward him in absolute terror. Paralyzed by a towering, sinister aura that bore a twisted smile, the monsters could not bring themselves to move.

Alex formed an arrow of Blood Flames and launched it into the center of the cluster. The combustion incinerated everything within a ten-meter radius. Because Blood Flames did not register as conventional elemental magic, the fire effortlessly melted through their armor, burning them to ash. Passing through the dying embers, Alex ventured deeper into the wilderness, heading toward the Iron Mountains—the undisclosed breeding ground of the Slaughter Ants, an area as yet unknown to the elves. In his previous life, this nest had not been discovered until he reached twelve years of age.

Upon reaching the base of the Iron Mountain, Alex located the nearest fissure through which the ants were emerging. He formed a sphere of Blood Flames and launched it down the tunnel; the light traveled deep into the earth before gradually vanishing. Thanks to his Dragon Eyes, Alex possessed flawless vision regardless of the ambient light.

Hearing footsteps echoing from the depths, Alex focused his perception and ignited Blood Flames in his palms. The fire surged, primed for destruction. The first Slaughter Ant to emerge was instantly consumed by the flames, dissolving into nothingness before his eyes.

Descending further down the subterranean tunnel, the sound of rushing water grew distinct. Emerging from the passageway, Alex stepped into a vast cavern where water trickled steadily from the ceiling. The cavern was honeycomb-structured, riddled with tunnels from which dozens of Warrior Ants began to swarm.

Alex unsheathed Greed once more. Releasing his kill intent, he coated the three-eyed blade in Blood Flames. He expertly dodged incoming volleys of acid, parried snapping mandibles with Greed, and unleashed waves of crimson fire that incinerated every ant in his path. Screams echoed through the cavern as the dark red flames flickered in the pitch-black darkness like macabre fireworks.

Within minutes, the entire swarm was wiped out. Standing alone amidst a sea of charred carcasses, Alex sat down to catch his breath. He had lost count of how many ants he had slain, but he welcomed the brief moment of respite.

Sniffing the air, Alex narrowed his eyes.

"Sulfur?"

He detected a distinct sulfurous odor permeating the cavern. While sulfur gas was inherently lethal, Alex had developed a strong immunity to toxins through rigorous conditioning over time.

"You should leave this place," Tessarion's voice echoed in his mind. "The gas is leaking throughout the entire mountain."

"The mountain is saturated with sulfur gas," Alex replied mentally. "That might be why the Slaughter Ants chose this location for their nest. But what I don't understand is why I'm only smelling it now."

"The combat likely opened up structural fissures in the cavern, allowing trapped gas to bleed out," Tessarion noted.

Tessarion's assessment was accurate; the battle had compromised the cavern's structural integrity, releasing trapped gas into the air. Alex stroked his chin. Channeling Blood Flames in an environment saturated with combustible gas was out of the question—a single spark would trigger a catastrophic explosion.

Standing up, Alex closed his eyes and heightened his auditory senses, listening intently to every minute detail: the rhythm of falling water droplets, the whistle of wind through the fissures.

Then, he caught a subtle vibration coming from a deep shaft at the far end of the cavern. Opening his eyes, Alex approached the vertical drop and leapt directly into the abyss.

Using wind magic to cushion his descent, he landed softly at the bottom.

The sight that greeted him was astonishing: hundreds of larvae covered the cavern floor, while a massive, emerald-green Queen Slaughter Ant actively spawned more. Positioned near the Queen was an extraordinarily large egg, vastly larger than any surrounding it. Sensing the sinister, overwhelming energy emanating from the egg, Alex felt a sudden, involuntary tremor run through his body.

Gripping his trembling right arm, Alex stared in disbelief.

"What is this...?"

He had never experienced a sensation like this before.

"I never heard of a creature like this in my past life... What is going on here?"

Alex had never encountered an ant that posed such a profound threat. Normally, Slaughter Ants were considered routine threats by the elven military. Had a entity like this been slain in secret before anyone knew of it, or was something else at play? If the Elven Kingdom knew of such a threat, why would they keep it hidden instead of alerting the continent?

Stroking his chin, Alex muttered, "There are strange forces at work here."

At that moment, the Queen detected his presence. Sending out psychic signals through her antennae, she ordered the remaining ants to eliminate the intruder.

Alex unsheathed Greed, its crimson aura flaring. Noticing the increasing concentration of sulfur in the air, he sprinted toward the densest pocket of gas, leading the pursuing ants into the hazard.

"What are you planning?" Tessarion asked.

Evading incoming acid attacks, Alex replied, "Do you smell that? The sulfur gas is much thicker over here."

"Don't tell me you're planning what I think you're planning," Tessarion warned.

A smirk formed on Alex's face. The Golden Dragon sighed heavily.

"Sometimes I truly think you are a masochistic bastard."

"Maybe I am."

Alex stopped abruptly and turned toward the oncoming swarm. "Lend me your flames."

Reluctantly, Tessarion granted him access to his dragon fire. Bending his knees, Alex leapt high into the air, landing directly beside the Queen. He drove his sword into the ground, shattering the floor beneath them. The Queen screeched in agony as the massive egg behind Alex began to crack open.

"Damn it!!"

Driving his blade deeper into the bedrock, Alex took a deep breath. "Are you ready?"

"I'm ready," Tessarion confirmed.

"On three, you know what to do."

"I know."

The moment Alex coated Greed in dragon fire, the flame ignited the dense sulfur gas, triggering a colossal explosion that detonated the entire mountain!

*BOOM!*

The shockwave echoed across the furthest reaches of the Elven Kingdom. Debris and mountain fragments rained down across the forest.

As thick black smoke billowed into the sky, movement stirred beneath the massive pile of rubble. From beneath the shattered boulders, a seventy-meter Golden Dragon emerged. Opening its massive wings, Alex stepped out from beneath their protection.

Tessarion shook off the dust and rock. "I would appreciate it if you never did that again."

Brushing the ash from his clothes, Alex replied, "Yeah, of course. Hopefully..."

Alex exhaled sharply, having successfully eradicated the nest in a single strike. However, a sudden shift occurred beneath the rubble twenty meters away.

Turning around, Alex swallowed hard as he felt the same ominous, terrifying aura from before.

"No way..."