[Congratulations on completing this mission. Since two territories were claimed, and the monsters’ presence diminished throughout all territories, there will be a grace period of approximately three days before the next wave arrives.]

[Starting from today, the medical facilities will require one ticket per use. Tickets are obtained by scoring in the top 10 within missions, with the top three receiving a bigger prize]

[However, those who did not achieve the minimum contribution required in the last quest won’t have access to restricted facilities, even if they possess tickets. In addition, it is unfair that they enjoy the three-day grace period without having contributed enough, so they will be forbidden entry from the research facility for two days, starting at 13:00 of the next day]

[The marked people won’t be recognized by the gate’s sensor, but if for any reason they manage to enter, the target’s life will be immediately terminated.]

[Players can remove their mark by obtaining at least 100 points of contribution while outside, the equivalent of five warrior ants. I reiterate that points are given only to the one who dealt the final blow]

[Now, to the rewards.]

[Players who achieved the bare minimum will receive their meals for the next three days. The number of rations will increase by one at 0,5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% contribution, to a maximum of 12 rations for the three days.]

[Those that scored 1% or higher will receive tickets and materials according to their level of contribution and the player’s skill levels. At 2%, rewards include a leather set, and at 4% onwards, new weapons and medicine, as well as better equipment overall.]

[The top three will receive a bonus of 100%, 75% and 50% rounded down to all of the rewards reaped during the quest, and the rewards will be a level above.]

[Those that achieved a Meritorious Deed will receive a special item that fits their current needs. Additionally, they will be exempt from punishment if they have been marked]

[That is all, enjoy your free time]

Seven was near the sliding door to his room at the moment the message ended.

He never really paid attention to the dormitory. Seven slept anywhere he needed without much care for comfort, this place was only there to serve as immediate refuge for those lost souls, a place to rest their bones after a rough ordeal. It was a place to return to, at least for appearance’s sake, as it could never mimic the location called home.

It was built as a vertical construction with oriental design, like the Chinese pagodas, but inside it was styled like a European lodge. The ground floor was big enough to accommodate fifty people with ease, and the main stairway split in the middle to give access to the first floor, from which each stairway followed in the opposite path to the next floor, forming a helicoidal shape.

No matter the position of the room, if you looked down from the railings on the ground floor, you would be able to see people crowding the stairway. On the fourth floor, Seven’s location, watching their reactions from afar was no different from looking at an ant colony from Earth, and Ai was the giant human with his big foot slowly coming to end their lives.

They scattered like caged beasts released on the wild, losing all semblance of reason. They were barely holding onto their pitiful lives, all Ai did was make the final push and send them to their doom.

“It makes me think of the Spartans’ way of training their children. But no morals attached... So, it’s just sending pigs to the slaughter, I suppose”

He closed his eyes and, in a moment, a large spectrum of the human emotion flashed through them. He tried to feel the despair and helplessness followed by a meager hope that could not placate it.

The discussion got louder and rowdier as the minutes passed, they were too tired when arriving, but not so much when they argued.

He walked down the stairway, intending to go to the library and search for a particular book. But he was barred near the entrance.

-Hey! You’re Seven! Am I right?

“Hmm?”

Seven looked behind him only to discover multiple pairs of eyes staring at him. He didn’t know for what reason, but he felt interested in what they had to say.

Because he knew that it wouldn’t be anything good.

-Seven, is it him?

-That kid killed a Queen...

-What’s up with his arm? Did he really do it?

Besides Natalya, only Seven managed to kill a Queen, and it was quite clear to the well-informed that he managed to do it ahead of her.

Arthur managed to cut through the crowd and pull him away for a minute. He stared at his missing limb with hints of sympathy, but there wasn’t much time for reuniting.

-I’m glad you’re still alive, but you should be careful around everyone now. No one knows where Kate and Natalya are at, though I doubt anyone would approach Natalya anyway... They want to know what that special reward is all about, and they’re also trying to force people to share equipment. I’m trying to calm them down but they won’t listen.

-Hm, thanks for the advice.

Seven thought the whole situation was very funny. He didn’t particularly care about the “side characters” who failed the most basic requirements on the last test.

-Hey! Seven, you’re friends with Arthur, right? Could you share some of your equipment with us?

-You won’t be using it during these three days, it should be fine!

-No, more importantly, what about that special reward Ai spoke of? Is it a stronger weapon to deal with the ants?

-My friend is badly injured, could you give us a ticket? I heard what Ai said, but... I have to try, please!

-How are we going to find food? I barely made it through the morning with that half-meal.

Questions constantly flooded his way as Arthur was once again pulled into the mad mob and tried to calm them down.

Seven recognized some of the faces.

“They’re from Arthur’s group, mostly... None from Kyel’s"

Seven raised his hand in the air, making a sign for them to stop.

The crowd obediently followed, but their eyes were full of expectations. More than that, the atmosphere was such that there was no way they would back down if Seven chose to refuse them.

He stood with his hand raised for one full minute, and people started to doubt his intentions.

At best, he considered himself a supporting character, a hanger-on that would always stay near the protagonists, or maybe antagonists, and help them achieve their growth, whether it was for the better or for the worse. All for the sake of his book, of course.

“It would be boring to write about myself, after all”

-Well, first of all, the equipment... I could help.

Their eyes brightened.

-It’s just that no armor we can currently craft would be of any use against ants. At least in your hands, that is...

-What?

-You see, if we could craft a full armor then it would have an effect, but as it stands, anything we make won’t be able to completely cover our bodies, and the ants are proficient at attacking our weak spots. Unlike your disorganized bunch, the colony stands as a single entity and they learn fast, it won’t take even a few seconds for them to discover an opening in your armor and kill you immediately.

-You are wearing armor, though? Otherwise, why would leather armors be gifted on the previous waves?

-The people who passed the last test are fundamentally different from you. They have some survival skills that helped them deal with the ants, like crafting lures and planting traps, or outright fighting power. Even then, getting caught by an ant is death, armor is more like a “moment of opportunity” gadget where, if the stars align, you can escape death by an inch. Remember Natalya’s shield? You can’t see it anymore, it’s long been destroyed. Investing in offense is more efficient.

He gave a long look to see if they understood before continuing.

“Good, they are capable of listening”

If they weren’t, Seven wouldn’t waste his words on them. There was also the issue of the toxin resistance of the armor, but he didn’t mention it.

-The ant armor you’re using won’t last long, you’ll need replacements. If there isn’t enough material to finish the suits, I will gladly give it, but you should be dismantling the rest of the carcasses before tomorrow at 1 p.m.

Before any replies could come his way, he gave another punch.

-The same logic applies to weapons. If you don’t know how to use it, then it doesn’t make any difference. I recommend you use spears, though, and bring some books from the library about ant behavior and trap making. It will produce the best results in a short time, and you don’t need to remember everything as you can bring the book with you. As for the other things...

Seven did some quick calculations in his head.

-In regards to food, I could give you, sure, but what I received amounts to 21 rations. Even with Arthur’s help, I don’t think it would be enough for more than a day outside, at best two days with rationing? You’re like, 20-30 people? The biggest problem isn’t even food itself, but water, you’ll surely be doing a lot of activity which will leave you dehydrated. Giving you food won’t solve the problem, I don’t know how you will make it past tomorrow.

-This...

-About people asking for tickets to help their friends to the hospital, if you really must help your friends, then save your energy for yourselves, bring down an ant to the ground and have them deal the last blow. They will be useless in combat anyway, have them do something else. Start thinking like a group, this is a war, not a playground.

He took a few seconds to catch his breath.

-Lastly, the special rewards Ai spoke of...

The people, who had been struck dumb by Seven’s blunt speech, suddenly perked their ears as the smallest fragment of hope sprouted from their chests.

-Why should I tell you?

They were stumped for words. They wanted to say something and offer a rebuttal, but not after that rough lesson they were given.

With that, he left without anyone hindering his path, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“I'm not that free”

A few created courage and later asked him for a few specific materials, and Arthur did ask him for help with the food – they would need them regardless. Seven didn’t bat an eye as he gave them, even if he gave everything away it wouldn’t have mattered.

He remembered one quote from a teacher back in university. It wasn’t a course of his major, but one of a physics teacher: having nothing available is not an excuse to be unable to do something. Rather, it’s because there’s nothing that there is something to be done. A bit confusing at first, but he liked it.

“If you don’t have what you need, make it”

Seven quickly reached the library and searched for catalogs of advanced chemistry. He lacked clues, and the one place he would find them was at the library.

“I know that the white mixture is harmful to humans, but I can only guess that it is poisonous to the Queen Ant. Whatever the case, I need to identify it in those three days I have of free time.”

The most pressing question was how the liquid came to be there. Was it produced by another species? Created by previous humans who participated in the game of death? Created by humans that used to live in the destroyed city? Or maybe something made by ants themselves?

Whatever it was, for the next piece of the puzzle he was going to need every bit of information he could get.

“After all... That thing was my reward for killing the Queen”

He was thoroughly enjoying those strange developments.