Neferpitou, the Royal Guard, strolled leisurely through the dense forest surrounding the anthill. For days now, she had practiced and refined her power until she had mastered it as much as anyone could. Yet, something felt missing—a final push, a true challenge to help her ascend to greater heights.
Fighting other Squadron Leaders was pointless; they could barely last a minute against her. It was like a grown man swatting at flies. The ease of such victories left her utterly unsatisfied. Seeking a solution to this tiresome dilemma, Pitou had sent Rammot on a mission to find the strongest creature possible—something worthy of testing her strength.
As she walked, her mind wandered to the knowledge she had recently acquired. Humans spoke of "unique skills" as if they were rare treasures. Yet, within their anthill, almost everyone possessed such abilities. This contradiction only deepened her contempt for humanity. To Pitou, they were no better than insects.
They had claimed this forest was impossible to conquer. But within a single month, the Chimera Ants had overrun most of the territory with barely any resistance. Humans were weak—possessing feeble skills, pathetic mana reserves, and lives so short they hardly mattered. It was baffling that they hadn't gone extinct already.
Still, she didn't waste much thought on them. Their only value lay in the knowledge they inadvertently provided. Beyond unique skills, there was the concept of magicules—particles residing within every living being. From what Pitou understood, the greater one's reserve of magicules compared to their opponent, the greater the chance of victory.
A large reserve granted endurance, power, and superiority in battle—qualities she was fortunate enough to possess in abundance. Experimentation had proven that weak creatures could faint—or even die—simply from sensing overwhelming magicules. Discovering these truths thrilled her. The world beyond the Anthill brimmed with secrets and possibilities she longed to explore.
'I wonder… could this power also revive the dead?' she mused, her tail twitching in excitement. 'Could I make them rise again as mindless puppets, obeying my every command without question?'
A strange spark lit in her eyes. The thought struck like lightning—a perfect, delicious realization. That was what she wanted: the ability to resurrect the dead, to control them as she pleased in service to her King. But she also wanted to dissect them, to tear their bodies apart and stitch them back together, like the human doctors she'd read about in medical books. The idea of improving life by altering flesh fascinated her beyond measure.
Her desires swirled and merged, until the voice that governed all power—the Voice of the World—answered her wish.
"Confirmed: Granting the Unique Skill, {Puppeteering Doctor}... Successful."
The voice rang clearly in Pitou's mind. She stiffened, momentarily stunned by its sudden presence. There was no time to ponder this gift, for a deafening roar shattered the forest silence. Pitou whirled, pinpointing the source just as Rammot bolted past her in terror.
"I FOUND THE STRONGEST THING! GOOD LUCK, NEFERPITOU-SAMA!" he shouted over his shoulder, running for his life without daring to look back. He knew pausing would mean instant death.
Crouching low, Pitou gathered magicules into her legs, her gaze flicking skyward. With a single leap, she soared above the treetops—and there it was. A wyvern, crackling with arcs of lightning, circled in the air. Even from this distance, she could sense its strength.
Her instincts flared. A powerful opponent, a freshly awakened skill—this was perfect. She would test her new ability right here, right now.
Drawing her claws, Pitou landed silently atop a tall tree. Swiftly, she began bounding from branch to branch, closing the distance between her and the beast. The wyvern turned toward her, charging a bolt of lightning in its maw, and fired.
With feline grace, Pitou dodged at the last possible moment, appearing in front of the creature in a blink. Her claws gleamed, poised to slice it apart. The wyvern roared and prepared another blast, forcing her back for an instant.
They faced off—two monsters filled with primal fury. One trembled with excitement; the other seethed with rage. Which of them would survive this clash would be decided in the battle that stretched on for hours.
TIME SKIP
By the time Pitou returned to the Anthill, the sun had sunk low in the sky. Two guards stood at the entrance—and froze in shock. Behind her, like a loyal pet, stalked the wyvern. Its body bore cross-stitches from head to tail, a grotesque masterpiece of surgical reanimation.
With an affectionate pat on its head, the wyvern leapt into the air and began circling the anthill, scanning the surroundings for potential threats.
Pitou smiled faintly and made her way inside, ignoring the gaping guards. Her steps led her to the makeshift room she'd claimed for herself. But as she reached the doorway, her smile faded.
Someone was sitting in her chair.
Pink-skinned and elegant, the newcomer offered her a polite nod.
Pitou knew at once who this was—the second Royal Guard. Before she could introduce herself, he spoke.
"Apologies for making myself comfortable, but I grew tired of waiting outside," he said smoothly. "My name is Shaiapouf. It is a pleasure to meet you, Neferpitou."
The fact that he knew her name startled her. How—?
"You can read minds?" she asked warily.
He nodded, smiling thinly. "Yes. I can peer into others' thoughts at will and extract any information I desire. A useful skill, wouldn't you agree?"
Her tail twitched in irritation. What did humans call this kind of person? Ah… right. A pervert. She would need to find a way—fast—to shield her mind from this invasive pest. The last thing she wanted was for him to glimpse her private thoughts.
'Note to self: Find a way to use my unique skill to block mind reading.'
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Hope everyone enjoyed the next chapter! Only a couple more chapters until the king is born. The next chapter will have a vote for who the fourth Royal Guard will be.
I hope to see everyone in the next chapter! See ya!
Power Stones?