Chapter 14
Animal World –
Ant Kingdom
Battle Wiz –
Agricultural Ants
Gustar and his friends had decided that ants would learn how to plant crops. The soldiers did not exactly know what crops were. But Gustar was now boss when Daniel was missing and orders were to be obeyed.
While Molister was enjoying a relaxing morning water ride, all the other ant soldiers filed into the Grand Tent at 7 A.M. for the usual checking. Gustar was sitting in the upper seat, where he had been sitting for a week or so.
Gustar announced: 「We have a project called Agricultural Ants. In this project, we will be growing our food for ourselves, instead of picking them in the wild (which is fairly unreliable). You will open your Instructo-Pad and download the app Agricultural Ant. You will pick which type of food you want to grow, and the seeds will be sent to you.
「After you get your seeds, you will be given a certificate for a certain area of ground. You only need to click on the name of the plant you intend to grow on the app and you will get instructions on how to grow it.
「You all have to choose at least one type of vegetable to grow. At the end of its growth season, our Agricultural Inspection Team headed by the Supreme Food Supervisor will inspect your vegetable and give you a score, you will be given and taken points on account of how good you did and how much.
「And now, you will get to know who the Supreme Food Supervisor is. It is Sheldon Cooper. But don’t mistake me, I am not choosing him because he is my friend, but because he has the ability to do the job well. Who can do as much as he did today? Maybe I, Jerome, Adolfes, and Gidure could do better than him, but the point is how many of you can use matter-changing to write a letter with ink in perfect Flourish?」
The unhappy crowd of ants became silent immediately, for they knew that they could not do what Sheldon did that morning, so magnificent a show. It was a dream seemingly unreachable to them but as easy as driving an ant-mobile.
All the ants followed orders and downloaded the app. It looks like this:
Even the officers had to do it, and that included me, Gustar. I decided to grow grapes, apples, olives, lettuce, cucumbers, cabbage, etc. In short, all of the plants available, I used this to make a private vegetable garden. I also did this to become green-handed.
It was harder than it looked like. I had to plow the ground, turn the soil, plant the seeds, pick the weeds, water the plants every day, and tend to their every need. It was hard work, much harder than learning how to use a military ant-mobile.
I could not ask anyone for help because I had chosen it and given the order, so I could not ask for help! But, my matter-changing skills helped me a lot. I used it to water the plants, plow and turn the soil, and many other things.
I believe everyone else (except my friends) to be having a much harder time than me when planting, because their powers were not so great and most of the time ended unwell even if it did work.
*The story keeps in a state of 「to be continued at any time」. ---by Daniel
Chapter 15
Animal World -
Ant Kingdom
Battle Wiz – Costgera
Now, back to me, Daniel.
I was ushered into the Grand Tent but had to wait outside the tent door because the Grand Marshal of the mosquito army was apparently a very slow person when it came to dressing because the Private Mosquito Protection Squad’s head told me that she was not ready yet and I deduced that she was not completely dressed yet.
One minute, two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes. Finally, when I had waited a whole seventeen minutes before the Grand Marshal of the mosquito army was ready to see the captive – Daniel, the General of the ant army.
I was led into the Grand Tent with the whole of the Private Mosquito Squad in two around, guarding me.
Maybe you might wonder why I did not use my disranjium super-dense balls to escape. I did not do it because I wanted to kill three birds with one stone: I could see the Grand Marshal of the mosquito army and kill him (because he most likely did not know that I could do matter-change), then I could take the dead body of the Grand Marshal of the mosquito army and run, then we would win Battle Wiz Level 1. If we win this game, I can get an honorary award and some presents in real life!
I was ushered in hoping to see a big mosquito Grand Marshal sitting in a big seat waiting to be killed by me (even though he does not know it), but what I saw surprised me:
A silver curtain hanging before the Grand Seat, I did not act right now because I did not want to alarm the Grand Marshal of the mosquito army without hurting him.
What I heard surprised me also. I expected a gruff, mumbling, and booming voice. Instead, I heard a girl-like voice speaking from inside the silver curtain. The things the voice said were weird too, it said: 「Please sit, Sir Daniel now the General of the Ant Army. You might remember me, but it has been a long time since you last saw me.
「Still no clue? Well, let me introduce myself. I am Costgera, the robot, now the Grand marshal of the mosquito army. You are playing from the Ant Kingdom; I am playing in the Mosquito Kingdom.」
As she (I know that Costgera is a she-bot, she said so) said that, the silver curtains parted and there appeared a she-bot, wearing a full set of shiny silver armor. She also had a weapon rack behind her that held all the kinds of weapons that I had (it was not mine because I had sent mine back to base camp just before I went unconscious) but was not made of the same thing as mine (Costgera’s weapons were made of the strongest metal they had available at that time, but one clash with my weapons and they would shatter or change shape).
「Release him and go away.」 Costgera commanded.
I was set free and all the mosquitoes went away and closed the door. Then, we were left alone.
I said: 「So, why are you in the Mosquito Kingdom? And why are you the Grand Marshal of the mosquito army?」
「Well, it’s a long story, let us talk over a trip and feast, you must be famished.」
「Oh, right.」 I pulled out the disranjium balls I made. 「See if you can lift these balls up.」
「Of course I can.」 So I put the balls into her hands.
She immediately fell to the ground and could not get up with her hand holding the ball as the sticking point. Her hand made a large dent in the ground.
「That’s a super-dense ball, no wonder you can’t lift it.」 I said, smiling as I removed the ball and held her up.
「But how can you lift it?」 she asked as I threw I in the air like a marble.
「Well, that’s a long story too, we』ll come to that later after you finish your story.」
So, we sat down in the pilot cabin of the vehicle, turned it to auto-piolet, and began to exchange our journeys.
*The story keeps in a state of 「to be continued at any time」. ---by Daniel
Chapter 16
Animal World –
Ant Kingdom
Battle Wiz – Digging
There was a real need for crystals and diamonds in camp and we were totally busted, there were not enough crystalers (machines that made crystals) and even if we could make more crystalers (we could not because making crystalers requires crystals), there would be no place to put them. Anyway, they use up a lot of energy and we really need energy to power other things.
The energy crystalers use is kind of like lightning, except it is more powerful, not made of electricity, and can change color. Well, those energy tried to rebel. They gathered into a super-dense ball and zapped around the building. It went straight to me Gustar and Daniel, and said: 「Do not meddle in things you cannot control!」 in a menacing voice. It was obviously sent from that person who stole Hades』 helm, but we were still not afraid.
All the friends of Gustar (which included my friends and the others) had a small meeting about this problem privately. At first, no one came up with new ideas and there was little conversation in the middle-sized conference room.
At long last, Jerome spoke up: 「So, do you guys have any ideas to solve this problem?」
All those present shook their heads until it seemed that they would shake their heads clear off their necks and one after another said: 「Nope, not a single idea in mind」 or something like that.
We could not place the crystalers in the sky because it would be too easy to shoot, we cannot place them on the ground because there is no space anymore, we cannot place them in big pools because water might get in there and that it would take a super-big operation to get one of them fixed.
Suddenly, Oliver brightened up and told us an idea that he had thought up, 「Everybody, listen up. I think that we can move our crystalers underground.」
「But, how do we build the vault?」 asked Gustar.
「Easy, we can use laser shovels, that will he super-fast.」
「How can we provide them with energy?」 asked Bob.
「You know that Laser beams are made up of charged-up photons? Well, we can use those photons as energy to provide the crystalers. And it is not really that hard to do that, is it?」
「Yes, all the parts are easy except the part about the receiver, the receiver would have to be laser proof and can still turn the laser into energy. Even though it is hard, I would like to accept a challenge.」 Said Gustar.
「And here is a bonus, once we make it, we can start building vaster underground tunnels and vaults than ever, maybe we can make the ground under the mosquito army collapse.
「That way, even though they will not be hurt a lot (because they can fly), we will show them that we ants are powerful and are not to be bullied!
「After that, we can collect all of the dirt and mud that came out of the ground and pour it onto their heads.
「If we find a massive underground water, we can take some of it to pour and combine with dirt into mud and take the rest for our use.
「That is a great plan and I hope that you can improve it. Thank you!」
We were like, 「Awesome plan Oliver!」, 「You’re really clever, you know Oliver?」 … We were just really happy that we had a solution to the 「crystaler problem」 and had a bonus of a way to get back the mosquito army for bullying us about our General being captured.
We publicly announced this solution to the ants of the ant army with the creditor as 「an unknown ant」 because Oliver did not want to be too envied by other ants.
We worked and worked, until we uncovered something that would change our whole understanding of the universe buried under the sand.
I worked hard on matter-changing every day in the last 2 weeks since General Daniel went missing. I did it because I wanted some kind of revenge. I can now control paper, leaves, liquid, wood, and steel. The paper and leaves were the easiest. They took a day or two; I kept getting the liquid poured over me so I learned to use clear water and used glass and stuff only when Gustar was here because he was better at glass than me, and he freed me from my self-made glass prison I do not know how many times, they took 4 days accompanied with many showers; the wood was okay, but when I tried to bend it with my mind, it sometimes snapped back and whacked me right in the face, so I learned to always keep a first-aid kit by your side. It took me 4 days; the hardest to learn was steel. The steel just would not bend to my will. They were hard guys. It took me 5 days.
Now, my matter-changing feathers are full-fledged and ready to go, because my mind wall has fallen along with the walls of all my friends, including Sheldon and his friends, but our brains cannot function properly on the 「Matter-Changing Mode」 or MCM, we cannot concentrate enough and end up with not what we thought. I guess we are not as gifted as Daniel is at this. We may have broken down the wall faster than him, but he seemed fine all along. Maybe it is just that he had had enough practice before the wall was broken to adjust without showing it to the sudden power that you have access to once you breached the wall.
Now, I can do whatever I like. I can ride in the sky in a large carriage made of wood, glass, or steel and have things to pull me made of those things too. The only thing is, I am by far the most successful one in performance after the mind walls were down. Sheldon is about the same as me but is not as good in wood and steel. The problem is that they all want carriages and trucks to be flown in the sky to move large amounts of dirt coming out when we build that underground vault. I tried to protest but they would not let me and that they would help if I could do my best. The thing was that it would take too much concentration to keep all those trucks and carriages, much less keep them moving steadily in line.
Even though it was extremely hard, I had to accept because it had to and that I wanted to test my ability.
I now realize that I cannot do it, so I thought up a plan and proposed it, it goes like this:
When needed, I can send them back out again and pummel the mosquito army with mud and I hope that plan will suffice and that we have enough storage space for all those glass missiles, because there would certainly be a lot of them.
The good news is that Gustar approved of this and my problem is solved, or partly, and all should go well unless some other problem occurs.
There was one thing that I forgot to tell you about Battle Wiz. Its geography was the same as the real world, except that there was no Ant Palace and that this was a battleground. The reason I am telling you this is because whatever we find here, will also be at the exact same place in the real world.
That day, we were just minding our businesses and digging the crystaler vaults and I was doing my work moving all the tiresome conveyer belts. It was absolutely exhausting! I had to keep everything in order and at the same time flying in one place. I did that because that way I could keep track of things and mind that I did not forget any one of the belts and make it stop.
To make it easier, I used a few huge rollers to control a few conveyer belts. It was simpler. But it's still not easy. It needed too many belts and I was going crazy!
I had to figure out an easier way, so I updated my plan:
I have a new idea: Why don’t we use mud blasters? I have learned how to matter-change rock in the past 5 days and am now very good. As you know, soil, sand, and dirt are all made up of ground up pieces of rock, so I can control them; I can also control water, so I can control mud.
What if I made the dirt and mud disappear when I came out, or do we transport the mud and dirt somewhere to keep it?
I am going to burst if you do not choose the first option, but you are the Deputy General now in charge and can order, so you can decide.
Even though you have the big power and are my friend, if you do not get me something less tiring, I am going to barge into your office and kick you in the ass or lift you up into the air and…
Decision:
Denied!
He actually gave me a Denied! The strangest thing that has ever happened: one of my best friends giving me a no on a matter in which I was right! I will show him, so that he does not mess with me again.
I was extremely angry and dangerous. Woe to anyone who chances to be in my way. I stormed down the hall and went out of the first door in sight.
As I stepped out, I quickly formed a kind of aircraft that looked just like those in Star Wars, except they were much smaller. I sat down and the craft lifted me into the air. It was the first time I tried it, maybe because I was furious.
Air raid sirens started to wail: 「UFO, UFO! Unidentified Flying Object!」 and ants started to swarm out of the cafeteria tents (it was lunch time) to look at me. I yelled into a simple megaphone: 「Where is your Deputy General in charge?」
They could not see me because I was sitting inside the aircraft and the body of the craft was entirely made of steel. They could not guess it was me because they had never seen Star Wars, so they do not know what this was.
Not long afterwards, Gustar came out and I saw him through the one-sided glass on my spaceship. He also called through a primitive megaphone: 「Hello, who are you? We mean—」 I guess he was going to say that he meant no harm, but I did not let him finish it.
My matter-changing is stronger than his, so I made his megaphone turn into a big basket made of steel and carried him up to my craft. I opened a hole in the bottom of my spacecraft and in came the basket, then the opening closed.
The basket disappeared after it got in and he sat on the floor. I came from the driving cabin into the port dock where he was. He was apparently surprised to see me, but before he spoke, I spoke, 「Gustar, you know that I am a little hot-tempered and that this method of digging is exhausting, then why did you give a Denial! to my new plan?」
「What plan?」
「Don’t be silly, the plan that told you I could control stones.」
「Well, to tell you the truth, I never really got it. You see, things have been quite busy lately and maybe I accidentally gave you that stamp and the robots took it away. Sorry!」 he sagged his head.
「That’s okay, as long as you are careful next time, I will forgive you.」
「Okay, that is great, but how do we get down?」
「Why, it’s easy, I』ll send it down.」
As I said that, the aircraft slowly descended to the ground; when it hit the ground, it slowly disappeared. We walked out, hand-by-wing, to the astonishment of the ant soldiers.
「No worries, a full story will be published tomorrow on this incident, you can know about it then, I am not going to go into it now.」 said Gustar to the ants.
*The story keeps in a state of 「to be continued at any time」. ---by Daniel