"Huh?... Did you manage to cancel the Royal Guard Ant bloodlust? It's an advanced intent canceling technique I wanted to teach you later. But this problem happened before I could." "I was about to counter the malicious aura of killing intent being sent towards us, but you beat me to it. " Koss said, filled with surprise. He couldn't believe Vincent managed to cancel malicious intent with a similar potent intent. [Did you learn something new...] *Skroar!* The Royal Guard Ant loudly shrieked. As if it sent an order, the antennas on all the twenty ant's heads wiggled for a few seconds until stopping to a halt. Like two dowsing sticks, the antennas pointed at the eight trespassing in their nest. The ants began moving forward, a small step after the other. The circle made by twenty ants became smaller as they menacingly approached. However, the closing ant circle wasn't all they had to worry about. The fog mysteriously started to become thick. The once almost clear visibility once again became hindered. Only the silhouette of the Royal Guard Ant could now be seen. Shortly, the twenty ants surrounded the group huddled together, leaving no path for the eight to escape. [I hope the Royal Guard Ant will not make a surprise attack.] "Hold your ground! This is a tactic the ants normally use to incite fear! Don't turn your heads around. Only focus on the ants in front." Koss tried to keep the group together. 'Fear can cause mistakes,' he thought. Koss wanted everyone to stay in formation, yet he wanted to rush headfirst and take out as many as possible to let Vincent or his women protect Tula in his stead. He felt energetic and wanted to fight because of the meat's side effects. However, Koss kept his head in the game and decided against such novice actions. A leader acting as he pleases means more danger to Tula. It was a thing Koss didn't want to risk. "Seventeen Soldier Ants and three Acid Ants are surrounding us in total. " Vincent announced with a hoarse voice. Then he glanced at both Lupa and Ester while continuing, "Ester, Lupa, both of you stick with Tula and fight as a team. I can heal a few times, so don't worry about my injuries." "I will be the Vanguard. " Vincent looked forward and glared at the approaching ants. [Wait... don't tell me you are going to separate from the group? It will become harder to keep track of where everyone is if you get baited far from here.] -I need to remove and attract as many ants as I can from Ester, Lupa, and Tula.- Vincent sprinted towards the ants in front of him. He broke from the group formation, intending to destroy the threatening circle formed by the twenty ants. Although covering each other's backs was a safe tactic, the enemies were too many and the fighters too inexperienced in team fights. Getting caught in one another's fight could prove fatal. Lupa quickly took Vincent's place and stood beside Ester. Ester was stuck in a momentary daze as she watched Vincent charge regardless of any danger he will encounter. She regained her composure after feeling Lupa's shoulder smack against her. Ester turned her gaze to the other shoulder to look at Tula. She raised a slight reassuring smile at the terrified little girl. The child trapped in an adult body felt relieved that Ester stood beside her with their shoulder stuck together like gum. Two Soldier Ants lunged at the charging Vincent, but the human wrapped with a monstrous aura filled with killing intent didn't even flinch. The survival instinct of kill or be killed was engraved in his body by the recent deadly fights. Vincent swiftly clenched his fists and extended his arms, giving the two hungry ants a pair of hard gauntlets to chew on. *Crunch* The Soldier Ants got knocked back and slammed on the ground as if they charged at a moving wall. The two shrieked in pain as their pincers broke and fell on the sticky ground. However, Vincent didn't halt his advance. He swiftly raised both fists in the air just to bring them down as quickly as they rose, clobbering and smashing their heads. Two ants got killed rapidly in the blink of an eye. Vincent became much stronger than the last encounter against death. With his almost indestructible gauntlets, extra stat boost, and the adrenaline boost from the food. He felt unstoppable and overflowing with confidence. The other ants saw their kind killed brutally. They shrieked in anger and rushed forward to kill their enemies. Fortunately, the Royal Guard Ant didn't take a step from the nest, giving them a higher chance to survive. Koss frowned at Vincent for not following his order and decided by himself to become the decoy. An improvised plan to enrage the ants and make most of the twenty ants attack him first. Koss assertively glanced around him. He felt at ease when he saw Tula with Ester and Lupa staying with her. Koss believed he could leave his daughter's safety with them while he goes on a killing spree. Time was against them. Koss had to follow Vincent's example and kill as much as possible while attracting attention to himself. Four Soldier Ants rushed to attack the charging Koss. Culo and Hara had three Soldier Ants running at them. It seemed luck was on their side since Koss took a few ants from attacking them. Furthermore, two ants close to the ones heading at them seemed to target Tulip instead. Four Soldier Ants and one Acid Ant rushed in front of Ester, Lupa, and Tula. One Acid Ant and Soldier Ant ran for Tulip. The remaining Acid Ant and three Soldier Ants ran after Vincent. Vincent rushed into the fog until Ester and Lupa couldn't see him anymore. His plan to fight with low visibility was obvious, but the ants still followed. The ants sent messages from their antennas, causing the advantageous plan to be futile. Unfortunately, he and Kazumi didn't know. The Royal Guard Ant remained inside the nest as its large silhouette stayed in the same place. The monstrous ant silently watched as if it wanted to see how nutritious the prey was. It probably intended to protect the nest when all low ranked ants perished. *Vincent fight* [Dodge to your left.] Vincent was about to clobber one of the Soldier Ants when Kazumi warned him to dodge. He swiftly sidestepped to the side, dodging an acid gunk projectile by a few inches. *Tsss* Vincent began hearing a sizzling sound of something melting. He lowered his gaze and noticed a fresh patch of yellow substance bubbling and sizzling as if something was frying in oil. The Soldier Ants took the opportunity to attack the surprised Vincent. One of the Soldier Ants charged ahead of the others. The ant's aim was evidently clear as its head lowered to target his legs. But a pair of invisible eyes were reading its intentions. [Summon a stick and stab down near your right leg!] [1x Sticks (Common Quality) summoned. x31 remaining.] Vincent didn't hesitate to follow her suggestion. A long stick with a sharp pointy tip materialized in his hands. Vincent soon noticed the ant's head approaching his leg. The makeshift spear pierced the soft, unprotected ant's neck with one swift, precise motion, instantly killing the Soldier Ant. [Jump back!] Vincent felt killing intent from afar, but he couldn't predict the direction in this situation. Kazumi's warning allowed him to react quickly. He swiftly jumped back, evading another attack from the Acid Ant. *Tsss* Vincent's movements were so precise that onlookers might think the fight was scripted. Kazumi was like a GPS guiding him on what to do and where to go. It might seem like he was cheating to others, but right now, anything goes if it meant survival. "The acid one is dangerous. " Mumbled Vincent as he glanced at the sizzling patch of acid. [One of the Soldier Ants seems to be scared. Its legs are trembling, so I think it's better to get it first.] Vincent turned his gaze to the Soldier Ant. It was staring at him with its pair of antennas and legs trembling, possibly in fear. It seemed not all ants were immune to bloodlust and death. Vincent placed a lot of strength in his legs and swiftly sprang forward at the fear-stricken Soldier Ant. His fist raised above the unmoving ant's head and... *Crunch!* "Thanks for the free kill." Uttered Vincent with a hoarse voice. The second ant died after it became afraid of Vincent for some reason. Two more ants that followed him remained. Two more ants to return and join the others. *Clang* Vincent raised his guard and blocked a leaping Soldier Ant headed to his face. As he pushed the ant away, Kazumi warned to dodge to the left side as a ball of acid headed his way. It was a deadly view obstruction trap, but Kazumi didn't have her vision covered, allowing her to see everything. *Tsss* However, Vincent couldn't evade the attack. He raised his guard and took the ball of acid head-on. He could hear a sizzling sound coming from the gauntlet covered with acid, but as he felt no pain, it was no big deal. The acid was slowly melting the blood gauntlet. Vincent swung his arm downwards, splattering the acid melting his gauntlet on the ground. Then he charged towards the Soldier Ant with an unfazed glare as if the acid was nothing but water on his arms. The Soldier Ant suddenly wavered from shock and fear. Usually, humans and objects melt when covered by acid, but it wasn't the case for this particular human filled with bloodlust. One second of staying rooted to the ground was all it took for the Soldier Ant to find a fist nearing its head. *Crunch* Like its previous companions, the Soldier Ant's head splattered from a mighty fist striking like a hammer. The remaining Acid Ant's legs trembled after witnessing three Soldier Ants dying a gruesome death. Vincent, Kazumi, and even Koss didn't know about the Acid Ants habits. It seemed they never attacked alone and always attacked with Soldier Ants. Without a vanguard alive, the ranged ant wanted to flee. *Step, step* Vincent menacingly approached with a glare that could pierce to souls of onlookers. He walked cautiously and focused on regaining his breath while staring with cold glowing eyes. Vincent was ready to dodge an acid attack at a moment's notice. It was the only window of opportunity to counter-attack, he believed. The Acid Ant would be defenseless since it took a few seconds to collect acid and shoot it. However, the Acid Ant became fear-stricken. It was forced to use its trump card.