---
Kai reached the outer wall and dove into the night, his aura carrying him between dune shadows until only desert wind accompanied.
At dawn he found oasis ruins, washed his face, studied his handsome and macho reflection in water. He got silver hair, crimson irises, black armour licked by ruby tendrils, it matched his looks.
He opened status again, and the numbers sang.
[Monarch Kai]
Level: 33 (★★★)
HP : 3000 / 3000
Aura : 3300 / 3300
Strength : 257
Speed : 210
Stamina : 200
Subordinate Slots: 0 / 10 ]
A laugh burst free. Raw power hummed in every breath. Yet the mission or his goal now shifted, "I need to forge a colony worthy of a ruler’s heir."
The border forest northwest of Amber Bastion teemed with unclaimed predators like wolf-horn stags, chitin apes, venom lilies and many more. Perfect for recruits at his current power level.
Kai slung rucksack, tightened the crimson waist tabard that fluttered behind. Desert sun speared the horizon, on its rim, the black spires of Ant Kingdom glinted but he turned his back to them.
"Goodbye, Mia, for now. When I return I’ll bring an army with me. Maybe... I will come like a knight or prince charming to take away the princess from her prison."
He vaulted atop a sandstone boulder, flexed new calf muscles, and shot eastward in a plume of golden dust. He headed toward the twilight treeline that marked the great boundary wood.
(A brief cutaway in future, specifically three days later.)
Inside the Ant kingdom very close to Amber Bastion, Princess Mia stood atop western rampart at sunset, her sensors and eyes sweeping the far far away dunes for Kai. She clenched the fist. "Where are you? I don’t know why, but I miss you a lot. It feels like I lost something very important. As if my heart is hollow without you."
Unbeknownst to her, a courier bustled through lower markets whispering of wild tales of a legend and rumours. A silver-haired warrior with ant eyes leveled the mercenary fortress overnight... A scarlet flash swallowed Captain Darius... Some said demon, others a hidden son of fire Ant queen from a different kingdom. Some say it’s a ghost of an old monster. Stories grew by mouth to mouth. Some ants believed the story, some thought it as some rumours.
But none linked the apparition to a supposedly dead two-star scout. Not yet. Mia turned from the wall, vow hardening. "Kai, I’ll keep searching for you. Until I found out your alive or dead self."
(Back to Kai)
Three nights later, Kai reached the border forest. Canopies of thorn-elm knotted overhead. Predator scents twined like ripe for claiming.
His first target was a Twin-Fang Stalker, three-star rank panther-reptile hybrid that prowled ridge crevasse. Kai laid bait, chunks of beast meat wrapped in star-milk soaked cloth. When the Stalker lunged, he activated his Antenna Sensory Boost skill and predicted the beast path. He slammed the spear haft across the muzzle. The beast hissed its scales shimmering bronze-green.
"Submit or die," Kai warned, eyes crimson torches. Aura surged, Monarch instinct radiated predatory command.
The panther crouched to spring, but hesitation flickered. Kai launched Monarch Brand, a spiral rune of crimson erupted from his palm, striking its brow. Aura 400 drained but rune etched seamless.
The beast howled, convulsing as chitin ridges erupted along spine and forelimbs. Scales fused with amber carapace and compound side-eyes blossomed. Moments later it rose, more bigger, fiercer, but kneeling.
[System notifications- First Vassal claimed. Stalker #01
Give it a name to complete the process.]
Kai rubbed his chin thinking, "A name, how about... Shade claw."
[Ding! Naming complete. Slots 1/10 filled.]
Kai’s grin bared new fangs. He could feel Shadeclaw’s thoughts. Its hunger, loyalty, savage joy. Everything was felt by him as if they were connected by soul.
"So it begins."
Over the next day he claimed two Iron-Tusk Boars (2-star) as pack haulers and a Moon-Wing Owl (scout). He was just practicing his new ultimate skill. When he will find a suitable beastman he will release these ones.
Slots 4/10.
Each bonding left him dizzy but exalted. The embryonic pulse of a true monarch forging links.
At a campfire under cedar roots, Kai fed Miryam the egg droplet of star-milk. It pulsed, runes unlocking, very soon she will be born or hatched. He can’t wait for the moment when she will hatch. "Eat slowly little one."
He reviewed his plan, recruited Cap, trained synergy tactics, reclaimed the ruler’s rib which was stolen by Mantira, and killed it to take his revenge. Find his friend or lover the bunny girl. Now that he has reached three star rank, he can complete his +5 inches mission.
Maybe, he will make love to her. She wants Kai very badly. Also His ant rod was giving him a difficult time. It wanted food... a hole to destroy. He needs to find her village. She already gave him the village location. Once he is done with his training he will go find her. Before that he needs to find the best location for his personal lair. A lair which he can call home.
After everything is done maybe return to Ant-Kingdom, not as a stray worker ant but as a rival power.
Night breeze carried far-off tower bells of Ant-Capital, celebrating the desert victories. Kai rested his spear across knees, Shadeclaw dozing by logs. He pictured Mia’s bathing memory. "Maybe, she misses me. Maybe she is sad and looking for me."
"Hold on, Princess," he murmured, voice half promise, half threat to any who barred the path. "Next time we meet, I’ll stand eye level, maybe higher."
The forest answered him with a cicada hymn, an anthem for newborn dominion. An ant monarch who will rule the world, one day. The Ruler’s egg glowed with the moonlight’s reflection. The fire was dying. With the thought of princess Mia’s bathing Kai slowly fell asleep.