So I Got Reincarnated as an Ant

The smell of smoke still lingered in the tunnel.

Not enough to choke.

Just enough to remind Ethan that he had almost become dinner.

Again.

"...I'm starting to think this forest has something against ants."

"It appears to have something against everything."

"...Fair point."

The worker ant clicked her mandibles softly.

She nudged Ethan's shoulder before walking ahead.

There was no fear in the gesture this time.

Just confidence.

Trust.

Ethan couldn't help smiling.

"Look at you."

"Already acting like you're the guide."

She obviously had no idea what he was saying.

Still...

Her antennae twitched happily.

"...I'm talking to an ant."

"I have observed."

"And?"

"You seem content."

"..."

"...I kind of am."

The tunnels gradually changed.

The rough stone walls became smoother.

Roots stretched across the ceiling like wooden ribs.

Tiny droplets of water gathered on them before falling into shallow pools below.

Drip.

Drip.

The air was cool.

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Fresh.

Cleaner than the smoke-filled passages they had escaped.

Ethan slowed.

His engineer's instincts—ones he hadn't used since waking in this world—began quietly whispering.

The tunnel sloped downward.

Water naturally flowed away from it.

The ceiling was thick enough to prevent collapse.

"...Interesting."

"What is?"

"This place."

He scanned the walls.

No large cracks.

No obvious monster burrows.

Only old claw marks.

Years old.

Maybe older.

The worker ant suddenly stopped.

She scratched at a wall with one foreleg.

Confusion.

Curiosity.

Ethan walked over.

The stone sounded...

Different.

Tap.

Tap.

"Huh?"

He struck it again.

Hollow.

"...Iris."

"The wall is approximately one body length thick."

"...Wait..."

His eyes widened.

"You're telling me there's another room behind this?"

"Correct."

A grin slowly spread across his face.

"Oh..."

"Oh, I missed this."

He stepped back.

"Okay."

"No explosions."

"No giant monsters."

"No lightning."

"Let's keep today's surprises normal."

Using his Iron Mandibles, Ethan bit into the edge of the weakened stone.

Crunch.

A small fragment broke away.

The worker ant immediately copied him.

"..."

"...You're helping?"

She happily continued digging.

Ethan laughed.

"Guess we're doing this together."

Minutes passed.

Stone chips piled around them.

Then—

Crack.

A chunk of wall collapsed inward.

Cool air rushed through the opening.

Beyond it lay a circular chamber.

Smaller than the flower cave.

Dry.

Hidden.

The floor was covered in soft moss.

Several thick roots curved naturally around the walls, forming what looked almost like pillars.

A trickle of clean water flowed through one side before disappearing into another tunnel.

Ethan stood frozen.

"..."

"...No way."

The worker ant slowly entered first.

She walked in a circle.

Touched the moss.

Drank from the stream.

Then turned toward Ethan.

A wave of emotion flowed through Ant Instinct.

Safety.

Warmth.

Home.

The word hit Ethan harder than he expected.

Home.

He looked around the chamber.

It wasn't much.

A little water.

Some moss.

Strong walls.

One hidden entrance.

Back on Earth...

He'd lived in an apartment with running water, electricity, and a soft bed.

Compared to that...

This place should have felt miserable.

Instead...

It felt priceless.

"..."

"...I think..."

"...we found it."

Iris spoke after a long silence.

"Probability of surviving the next seven days has increased."

Ethan blinked.

"...Really?"

"Yes."

He smiled.

"I'll take those odds."

For the first time since waking up in this impossible world...

Tomorrow didn't seem quite as terrifying.

As Ethan began inspecting the chamber, his eyes drifted to the roots woven through the walls.

One root wasn't like the others.

It was too straight.

Too smooth.

Almost...

Carved.

He stepped closer.

Brushed away the moss.

Hidden beneath it...

Was another one of the strange ancient symbols.

Only this one...

Was different.

At its center...

Someone had carved the unmistakable outline of an ant.

Not an ordinary ant.

One with an elaborate crown-like crest upon its head.

Ethan frowned.

"...Iris..."

"...Has this symbol always been here?"

A pause.

Longer than usual.

Then—

"...Yes."

"..."

"...And I strongly recommend..."

"...that you do not touch it."

Ethan slowly lowered his foreleg.

For the first time...

Iris didn't sound sarcastic.

She sounded...

Concerned.