The wilderness was quiet under the cover of night, lit only by the glow of a silver crescent moon. Tall blades of grass towered like trees around Ari, and every distant chirp or rustle put him on edge. Yet, this was the solitude he needed. Out here, there were noone, he was in silence—just him, his breath, the cold wind, and the earth beneath his feet.
Tonight would be the final time he completed his daily training quest.
He stood at the edge of a rocky incline, the first challenge: the vertical climb. The cliff's surface was jagged and steep, coated in moss and dew. The first time he tried it days ago, he'd slipped after only a few feet, his fingers trembling and his arms barely strong enough to hold his own weight. But now…
He dug his claws into the stone. His movements were swift, purposeful. Each pull lifted him higher, every foothold found without hesitation. Muscles in his arms and legs worked in harmony, his body trained by repetition and pain. The cold bit into his fingertips, but he welcomed it. He welcomed the sensation because it meant he was alive—and stronger.
In under three minutes, he reached the top. He paused, looking over the shadowed expanse of the field below, letting the wind rush over him.
"One down," he muttered, brushing dust from his shoulder.
He leapt down, rolling across the ground to soften the impact, then made his way to the next task—a grueling weighted crawl. Two thick tree roots, each tied to a heavy stone slab, lay coiled around his waist. He tightened the knots and lowered himself to the dirt.
His body moved like a beast—muscles straining but under control. His forearms dragged his body forward while his legs pushed, the stones scraping loudly behind him. The path was rough and uneven, but he didn't slow. His breathing remained steady. There was no more screaming or trembling. Just will.
By the time he reached the end of the marked trail, his arms burned, and his back ached—but he stood up with pride.
Next was the infamous boulder push.
The massive rock sat like a sleeping beast in a small clearing. When he'd first encountered it, he could barely nudge it forward. But now, Ari approached with confidence. He pressed his hands against the stone's cold surface, gritted his teeth, and pushed.
His legs dug into the ground, veins rising across his arms. The boulder shifted—then rolled. One foot after the other, he drove it forward. The friction growled beneath it, but his power never waned. The boulder tumbled across the dirt, picking up momentum until he reached the edge of the hill. He stopped it with his foot, chest rising and falling.
He collapsed to his knees, exhausted—but smiling.
"One more," he breathed.
The last part was the obstacle sprint. He'd set it up himself in a dense patch of wilderness—branches tied between sticks, loose stones underfoot, and pits hidden with leaves. Ari crouched down, stared ahead, and took off.
He darted over fallen logs, leapt through tangled vines, and slid under narrow gaps in the terrain. His footing was firm, each step precise. There were no mistakes this time. His body reacted before his mind even caught up. He wasn't just running the course—he was flying through it.
By the time he skidded to a stop at the finish mark, he was gasping, heart thundering, legs sore—but he was done.
The air shimmered in front of him as the familiar system message appeared:
Daily Quest Complete
Vertical Wall Climb: Complete
Weighted Crawl: Complete
Boulder Push: Complete
Obstacle Sprint: Complete
Reward: Full Recovery
He exhaled long and slow and sat against a thick tree root. His entire body trembled with exhaustion. His limbs were sore, muscles screaming, and even blinking took effort.
"Alright… finally finished," he said, his voice low and tired. "I'll go through everything once more… then use the full recovery. That should be enough."
With aching limbs, he stood. He repeated each task in a condensed version, not for the reward, but as a final reaffirmation. His muscles strained harder this time, every movement slower, heavier. By the end, he collapsed, sweat running into the soil.
He clenched his jaw, then opened the system panel and activated his reward.
Full Recovery Activated.
A warm pulse surged through his core, expanding outward like a wave. The pain vanished in an instant—soreness gone, fatigue erased. But more than that, his body changed.
His arms thickened with new muscle. His chest expanded, and his abdomen hardened with fresh layers of strength. His shoulders widened, and his stance grew firm, grounded. His body had matured from a resilient survivor into a weapon.
He flexed his hand, staring at it with awe.
"…Stronger again," he whispered. "But I honestly don't know how much good all this training will do me at that fortress. Or even if I'll be able to beat Hopper…"
The cold wind brushed against his face, carrying a distant screech. He looked toward the northeast—where the grasshopper fortress loomed. His eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fists.
"But I do know I can't just back down. Not now. Not after everything," he said, almost to himself. "Regardless of what Anastasia and Lily said… I have to try and save her. No matter what."
He grabbed his satchel, checked his water container, and tightened the straps. Then, without another word, he turned toward the fortress and walked into the darkness.
Several hours earlier, under the deep night sky, the group of six ants led by Commander Anastasia moved through a field of dew-kissed grass, their path illuminated only by scattered fireflies and moonlight. Rory, Isla, Beatrice, Lily, Brooks, and Anastasia had traveled quietly, conserving energy for the battle to come.
Eventually, strange formations in the terrain came into view—tunnels carved into hardened clay and reinforced with tree bark and woven grass. They had reached the outskirts of another colony.
Isla tilted her head. "Wait… what are we doing here?"
Rory and Beatrice looked equally puzzled.
"Are they going to help us with the mission?" Brooks asked.
"Yes," Anastasia replied calmly. "All preparations were made two days ago. I've already discussed it with their commander."
Four ants emerged from the tunnel's opening. Isla and Rory instantly recognized two of them.
"Commander Ruth and General Ivan…?" Isla gasped.
The towering general smirked. "I see you've put together a team. Are you sure you need our help?"
Anastasia crossed her arms. "Last I checked, I only asked Ruth for help. Along with some of her lieutenants."
Ivan scoffed. "Just admit it. You need me to stand a chance against that blasted grasshopper."
"Oh really? If I remember right, you lost a spar to me when I was still a lieutenant," Anastasia replied with a raised brow.
"That was a fluke—and my hand was stuck," he muttered before clearing his throat. "Anyway…"
"Thank you for considering our request," Anastasia said, bowing slightly. "We'll need every fighter we can get."
"Of course," Ruth said. "You helped our colony recover after the famine two years ago. This is the least we can do."
Two more ants stepped forward. Isla leaned toward Rory and whispered, "Who are those two behind them?"
"How should I know?" Rory whispered back.
The female ant smiled warmly. "Since it's our first meeting, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lieutenant Amelia. I've heard a lot about you."
The male nodded. "Name's Leon. Also a lieutenant."
Anastasia squinted. "I wasn't aware either of you were in the colony during meeting ."
"They weren't," Ruth explained. "These two are leaders of our scout and execution squads. They returned from a long-range voyage just yesterday. They're seasoned soldiers—hand-picked for this."
"Then we're lucky to have them," Anastasia said.
Beatrice glanced at Ruth. "So… were you extorted by Hopper too?"
"No," Ruth said. "Unlike the rest of the colonies in the region, we settled here three years ago—deep in the wild. We only move at night, avoid contact, and never attracted attention. That's how we stayed free."
"Hah! Who'd be dumb enough to let grasshoppers take control anyway?" Ivan added smugly. "If it were me, I would've cut down their leader on the spot."
Ruth rolled her eyes. "That's enough. We leave before dawn."
Everyone nodded and began marching once more, their footsteps rustling against the wet soil.
Rory glanced around. "Now we've got… a general, two commanders, three lieutenants, two corporals, and two lance corporals. That's ten of us. And the four of them are even stronger than Rory and I. "
Isla nodded, clutching her mandiblr. "Ari… just hold on. Help is on the way."
Somewhere in the dark, far ahead of them, Ari marched alone—closer and closer to the storm awaiting them all.