The bck smoke from the volcanic eruption had caused considerable damage to System's ant subjects. After the toxic bck smoke had reached the nest, many of the ants had lost their lives.

  Except for a small number of the nest's ants who were busy transporting soil, most of the ants were resting quietly near the chamber where System was sleeping. Some were too weak to move, while others were motionless and seemed to be in a dormant state.

  Bck, System's favorite worker, was also sick. She was leaning on the little meatball due to her weakened physique.

  The ants in System's nest exuded an indescribable emotion. There was no sadness or anxiety, only a thick aura of death...

  But as soon as System woke up and exited the chamber, his ant subjects suddenly changed. The lifeless ants emitted joyful emotions and became active again.

  Even the suffering worker Bck moved her weak body over to System.

  "You guys..."

  While using his tentacles to pat his ant subjects' heads, System shook his head gently.

  He didn't waste any further time thinking. After using his tentacles to inspect a few of his seriously injured ant subjects, he ordered these weak ants to eat as much meat as possible so that they could replenish their strength.

  At the same time, he used his tentacles to study several ants whose bodies hadn't been harmed by the toxic smoke. After exploring three ant subjects in succession, he finally found the ability he was looking for—[Toxin Resistance].

  About thirty percent of System's experience bar remained, which he thought should be enough to activate [Toxin Resistance] in five more ants.

  System began treating the weakest of his ant subjects by activating the Derived Skill in them using [Insect Ability Activation].

  Bck was the first to be treated. After activating [Toxin Resistance], although Bck's body was still very weak, her condition had stabilized. She would fully recover after resting for a while.

  It seemed that although Bck was weak, she was a very lucky ant.

  In addition to the pupating ants, who were all still fine, only forty-two of System's ant subjects were still alive. Even one of the worker ant knights who had pupated twice had lost her life...

  Two hours ter, after System had completely consumed his experience bar, he decided to leave the nest to get more food.

  The three frost slimes that System had brought back over a month earlier hadn't been completely eaten, and there was still one left. System pnned to order that slime to split, then bring half of the nutritious slime back to the nest to help restore the ants' strength.

  ...

  After System's day and a half of sleep, Lilt Forest was still covered by thick bck smoke. The daytime sky that should have been clear was instead as dark as night.

  The bck smoke from the volcano hadn't made Lilt Forest grow warmer. In fact, because the thick smoke had blocked out the sun, the forest was even colder now.

  In addition to the bck smoke, there was also ash falling in the forest like dark gray snowfkes. System had only left the nest for a short while before his body was dyed gray and bck.

  Unfortunately, even after System used [Mental Transmission] to thoroughly search the area where he kept the slime, he still couldn't find any trace of it.

  Perhaps it had fallen deep underground due to a crack formed during the earthquake, or maybe it had escaped. System eventually chose to give up on his search.

  He suddenly thought of Nellis. She might know something about the current situation in the Lilt Mountains. Even if she didn't know, after transforming into [Frost Form], the ice crystal armor on his body would effectively block out the bck smoke in the air.

  However, when System tried to transform into [Frost Form], he found that he couldn't call upon the frost energy in his body at all. The ice spirit Nellis also seemed to be in a deep sleep, and she didn't respond when he called out to her.

  System checked the [Tools Menu] and saw that his [Frost Form] ability still existed in [My Information], but it had now become [Frost Form] (inactive).

  However, the [Frost Breath] attached to System's body could still be activated normally, and he easily sprayed an icy bst from the gnds in his throat.

  'Why did even Nellis fall into a deep sleep?'

  System recalled what Nellis had said about the lengthy period when she'd been in hibernation before they met. Back then, when the Lord of Gciers had been missing for several months, Nellis had fallen into a deep sleep after the temperature had gradually risen.

  'Ice spirits, the Agents of Winter.'

  'The God of Winter, the Lord of Gciers who inherited the Will of Winter.'

  As he recalled what Nellis had said, System specuted that the Lord of Gciers might not just be missing this time.

  However, because System was only a weak bug with a strange appearance, he had no way of knowing the truth about the situation. He couldn't even begin to guess what was really going on.

  ...

  While System was thinking, he detected strange movements through the bck smoke and falling ash. There were vague shadows in the distance moving through the forest.

  System used his tentacles to climb a tree that hadn't been affected by the earthquake.

  A dozen gnolls simir to those System had once seen in the goblin vilge soon emerged from the smoke.

  Because of the bck smoke from the volcanic eruption, the gnolls' brown hair had been dyed bck, and they looked a little rough.

  Several of these gnolls were stronger than the ones System had first seen, and they were running very rapidly through the snow-covered forest.

  System's [Intuition] suddenly sent an inexplicable feeling, and he used his tentacles to immediately swing his body onto a nearby tree branch.

  Whoosh!

  A spear-like weapon passed through his previous location.

  He'd been discovered!

  The strongest of the dozen gnolls fshed a greedy and cruel smile. The gnoll pulled out another wooden spear and immediately hurled it toward System.

  System swung his body to dodge again.

  However, this time, when the spear reached the halfway point between the gnoll and System, a yer of fire suddenly burst out around it. The spear's speed instantly increased several times over.

  Although System had dodged in advance thanks to his [Intuition], he was still pierced through the abdomen by the spear.

  Fortunately, thanks to his recently acquired [Super-Speed Regeneration], System could now consume his health to quickly repair his body. While he was falling to the ground, he quickly healed, then spread his wings and flew away.

  A few gnolls started chasing after him, but because System's flying speed wasn't slow, combined with the cover provided by the bck smoke, they eventually gave up and turned back.

  ...

  Because of [Super-Speed Regeneration] and the [Fire Resistance] that he'd obtained after encountering the fming boar shortly after his rebirth, System's body hadn't suffered much damage. He'd only lost six percent of his health.

  While using his tentacles to wipe off the bck ash sticking to his eyes, System sensed the wings folded on his back.

  Compared to his abdomen that had been pierced and then repaired using [Super-Speed Regeneration], the short flight had inevitably resulted in a rge amount of bck particles getting stuck to his wings. The bck ash covering his wings made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

  System quickly dived deep into the snow to clean off the ash attached to his body. At the same time, he tried to think of what reasons these gnolls could have for invading Lilt Forest during the volcanic disaster.

  However, even after thinking for a long time, System still didn't have the slightest clue.