'That damn goblin set me up, didn't he?' Noah sighed, feeling a nonexistent headache in this endless darkness.
Noah felt himself floating in an endless sea of darkness, drifting slowly. The previous human body? It was gone, replaced by a formless soul, slowly drifting into a certain place.
'How long will I be here before I get reborn?' Noah thought, feeling bored. After all, there's no point in having an existential crisis if he at least knows what to expect.
'That goblin had said I would receive a system, didn't he?' Noah thought as he tried to speak with his nonexistent mouth.
'System!'
Nothing happened.
'System!'
Noah shouted again, but still no answer. As Noah was losing hope, he heard a cold, mechanical voice rang out in this lonely place, one that certainly didn't bring any warmth into him.
- Name: Noah.
- - Level: [ To be unlocked after rebirth.]
- - Class: [To be unlocked after rebirth.]
- - Skills: [To be unlocked after rebirth.]
- - Titles: [To be unlocked after rebirth.]
- - Species: [Formerly a human. But just a Soul at the moment.]
Noah stared at the system floating above him. It was a mystery how such a thing was even drifting and moving alongside him, but that didn't matter right now.
As Noah felt disappointed. 'So it's basically useless until I fully get to be reborn. ' Noah let out a big sigh. Seeing there wasn't anything for him to do or think about for the moment, he decided to wait patiently. Something that he was very good at.
Noah relaxed, drifting into this seemingly endless darkness, something that felt more like a tunnel than an illusory ocean.
In this dark, but calm tunnel. Noah saw a small light rapidly fluttering into his view at the far end of the tunnel. Noah instantly knew his journey in this place was coming to an end.
So, he let himself be swallowed by the blinding light completely, not a shred of fear in him, but only a calm acceptance of his new life. Previously a human being, but now reborn as a monstrous ant.
…
Noah felt the light surrounding him contract, his body still a glob of soft light, slowly shaping into something new. The feeling was strange; it felt weird, but also strangely comforting. Like he was again a small fetus, being nurtured by his mother's womb.
Of course, this time there wasn't any mother who wished for him to not be born. But just a light body of soft and warm shell—an egg, perhaps.
Noah felt himself change; the previous sensation of human limbs—like his arm and his fingers—were gone. Replaced by the strange feeling of more limbs, something that was definitely not human anymore.
First were two antennae, then a pair of large compound eyes. Beneath those eyes, strong and powerful mandibles. Then, coming to his back, Noah felt himself bigger, larger abdomen and a strong carapace. Then lastly, beneath the torso, three pairs of slightly thin, but strong legs.
(A/N:- 3 pairs = 6 legs. Basically looks like a normal black ant, but half the size of a human)
'Yeah, no doubt. It's an ant body.' Noah mused, still a bit in awe of being reborn as an ant, if anything.
Noah shifted, trying to feel the sensation of his new monstrous ant body. His small compound eyes blurry, only being able to see some lights in front of him.
Noah didn't have much knowledge about ants, except that they were creatures of highly organized colony, functioning like a super-organism. Either separated into ant workers, brood tenders, and the most central figure being The Queen.
So, it was not a surprise that he didn't know many ant species had very poor eyesight, some even blind. But lucky for him, Noah wasn't just an ordinary ant. He was a monstrous ant, born in the world of solo leveling.
Noah calmed himself, keeping his bearing together. Then, he focused his compound eyes to see the sight before him. Luckily, the haziness finally cleared itself.
It was an underground cave.
Surrounding him, Noah saw rocky walls, each massive in size; they towered above him like giants. Beneath his six legs, the feeling of cold, hardened ground could be felt. The place was dark, a bit humid, and warm, which felt very cozy to his small ant body.
The chamber was easily big enough for a small football-field. Noah looked around the place, his small compound eyes taking in the sight around him.
Behind his small ant body, Noah saw a broken cocoon. Probably his. 'Is this the brood chamber?' He thought.
But suddenly, his small little antenna twitch, as if sensing something in the air. Noah didn't know what happened, but he was suddenly assaulted by a very messy scent.
The scent was weird, but also very familiar. Yes, it was. It smelled just like him!
'WAIT. Like me? How the hell do I know my own smell? '
Of course, Noah didn't know the ants were also known for their powerful sense of smell. Their small little antennas were capable of detecting even a tiny whiff of chemicals in the air. In fact, Ants use their antennae to detect surrounding around them or to be wary of different species of ants.
But that wasn't important right now, as Noah felt a sudden influx of that familiar smell overwhelm him. Noah turned his compound eyes around the place the smell was coming from.
And finally, he saw it. Noah believed if he was still a human, then his face would definitely be stuck in amazement.
Just some meters behind him, in the center of the cave. A massive ant, probably around the height of fifteen meters, was staring at Noah. The massive ant's compound eyes were glittering in the dark, humid cave.
Noah was in awestruck, still staring at the massive ant, different from any ant he had ever seen. The ant had an enormous body; it's white—yes, it had a white exoskeleton. Which was shimmering in the dark cave like a lamp.
Surrounding that massive ant, there were dozens of smaller red ants that were guarding the massive white ant like it's royal guards. Even though, the red ants look smaller in comparison to the white ant. They were still significantly large, even larger than Noah's small ant body.
Noah guessed, in comparison to his ant body. The red ants were easily double the size, effortlessly reaching the same height of a human. Which was a terrifying thing to see.
The red ants were scurrying around the place, some tending to the massive white ant, cleaning her white carapace. Some ants are either bringing her food. But the large white ant's focus was on Noah.
Noah instantly knew it. 'The Queen…'
Yes, the enormous ant, towering over at least fifteen meters, was the colony's heart–The Queen. It had to be it.
Noah took a deep breath, his six small legs shaking at the majestic sight of the ant. His own compound eyes looking at the Queen's glittering eyes, both stared at each other for a moment. As if having a small staring competition.
But suddenly the Queen moved, causing Noah to feel his small ant heart to leap into his mandibles. The Enormous ant monster made her way through the red ants, carefully taking steps to not squash any of her children by her massive size.
She strode towards Noah, several of her royal guards forced to follow her closely. Noah was rooted to his spot, his whole body stiff as he watched the massive ant stand in front of him.
"Um… hi… uh, Your Majesty?" Noah flicked his antenna gently in the air, trying to communicate. His eyes stared at the massive monster, trying not to do anything stupid.
But to Noah's surprise, the massive ant didn't do anything to him. Only gently checking on Noah's small ant body, the Queen's large and long antenna patting Noah's head, before walking away.
Noah was flabbergasted.
'She… seems nice? ' Noah looked at her retreating back, still in shock. 'I… I guess I have a new family then. '