However, as I get closer I realize that it is actually a snake the size of a train. Talk about being eaten in one bite, it is my own fault for even thinking about it. Luckily, the snake doesn''t seem to have noticed me, so I quickly change directions.


    It looks like this desert is a lot more dangerous than I thought and there might be even worse things. I could probably kill the snake, but it wouldn''t be easy and I don''t want to get eaten. With something that size, I would probably end up having to kill it from the inside.


    Although, I will make sure to warn Sir Edvar about it, so that he can try and avoid it. It is a good thing that the empire has the eagle riders, they will be able to scout ahead and warn the troops. Although, now that I have seen the snake I am getting curious about what else might be out here.


    Not long after I see the snake, the scanner detects another worm, so I kill it. Then I immediately take to the air just in case the snake gets called over. When all I see heading this way is four ants, I head back down to fight them.


    4 Empowered Red Worker Ants defeated! 400,000 Exp gained!


    Absorb Activated! +20 Evolution Points!


    The worker ants are too weak, they don''t even manage to touch me before they die. After absorbing their cores I add their corpses to the growing pile on the barge. As soon as that is done, I resume walking deeper into the desert and further from the snake.


    However, before too long I stop walking, there are hundreds of beasts ahead of me. They are underground, so I have probably found another part of the ant nest, or a second nest. Either way, as much as I want to hurry and evolve, I can''t fight those kinds of numbers.


    At least, not without some way to keep them from just overwhelming me. If I could find a bottleneck where I could fight them, then maybe I could handle it. Considering there is nothing but sand around and they can burrow, that isn''t really possible.


    I am going to have to stick to hunting around the edges of the area to keep from being surrounded. So, I change directions again to try and move around the nest without alarming it. I probably can''t even kill a worm if I find one right now, otherwise the nest will erupt.


    Sure, I can fly to get away, but I would have to leave the barge full of corpses behind. There was only a single ant corpse last time, so the ants ignored it, but I doubt that would happen now. Actually, I kind of want to find another scorpion or two, their bodies would provide good weapons.


    I want to give Sir Edvar''s elite unit as many materials as possible to increase their odds of succeeding. After all, there is no way that I can hang around long enough to deal with the desert. However, since the empire is now an ally, I want to help them out as much as I can.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    In the distance, I spot a pair of ants that are heading this way, probably returning to the nest. As I head towards them I can tell that both ants are warriors, but I am not worried. Unless there is a stronger type of ant, I only have to worry about them coming at me in numbers.


    From what I know about ants, there are probably some stronger ones, but they shouldn''t leave the nest. As long as I stay outside, I shouldn''t encounter them, they should stay with the queen. Of course, that is assuming that these ants act like the ants I know of.


    I have learned the hard way that assumptions are bad, so I don''t let my guard down. While I am fighting the two warrior ants I keep scanning with my mana so nothing can sneak up on me. Luckily, nothing tries and I kill the ants without too much trouble.


    2 Empowered Warrior Ants defeated! 400,000 Exp gained!


    Absorb Activated! +10 Evolution Points!


    Evolution Points: 92/100 Evolution Level: 0/5


    I just need to absorb another two cores and I will be able to find out what happens when I evolve. At this point, there is no way that I can leave without finding out, I am too close. So, I quickly toss the corpses onto the barge and set out looking for something else to kill.


    I am still nowhere near the amount of exp that I need to level up, so that won''t bother me. I start heading back towards the outpost and once I am a decent distance from the nest I start using the scanner again. My plan is to find a worm, kill it, and hope the beasts that are summoned are ones I can handle.


    I walk for about a half of an hour before I happen across a worm, which I kill. Before long I detect three beasts, two coming together and the third from a different direction. The lone beast is faster and will reach me first, it is probably a lizard from its speed.


    However, the other two are not much slower, so I won''t have long to fight just the lizard. In order to keep the fight short, I let the lizard land its attacks on me and just exchange blows. Obviously, I am much tougher than the lizard and I easily win in the competition of taking damage.


    1 Empowered Desert Lizard defeated! 250,000 Exp gained!


    Just as I finish off the lizard, the other two beasts arrive, they are scorpions. I quickly heal myself and then rush into battle against the two scorpions. Mostly, I depend on my immunity to poison and ignore their tail attacks as I kill them both.


    2 Empowered Great Scorpions defeated! 500,000 Exp gained!


    Absorb Activated! +15 Evolution Points!


    Evolution Points: 107/100 Evolution Level: 0/5


    Evolution Ready! Would you like to proceed? Y/N


    ''No! Not right now. Evolving in enemy territory would be stupid!''


    Throwing the corpses onto the barge with the others I head back to the outpost. At this point I am not even checking for worms, I just want to get back. There are no beasts who get in my way and I am able to return to the outpost without any issues.


    The gates open for me and when I enter all the soldiers are just staring at the pile of corpses on the barge. I dismiss the barge and leave the corpses for the soldiers and mages to deal with. Then I find Sir Edvar and tell him about my discoveries and theories.


    Sir Edvar says "Thank you, King Ash. This information will be of great help."


    "You are welcome. I simply wanted to do what I could for my ally before I have to leave to take care of other issues."