---
Each ant carried wounds and bruises, hearts weighed by the memory of that foul confrontation. But at least for Kai, a measure of success. Level 22 brought him a progress to three star rank. Even with Darius snatching every star core, Kai's hidden advantage was that the Essence Eater still existed. He'd find other ways to grow stronger.
After they escaped the site of that disgusting battle, the forest's density began to thin out. The trees, which stood so closely that barely any sunlight could pass through, slowly gave way to more open glades and rocky outcrops. The ground grew drier and more solid. The group marched in uneasy silence, fresh in the knowledge that three-star beasts could appear at any moment. They had faced five that day, and the memory was more than enough to keep them cautious.
