The problem that could be called the greatest of my life has been solved. I no longer feel any discomfort in my belly. It isn't that the eggs themselves have disappeared, but rather that they have become an existence assimilated with my own self. This is due to the effects of the Nen ability that manifested within me.
Normally, there are several processes an ordinary person must go through to awaken to Nen abilities. First, one meditates and recognizes their aura, naturally opening their Aura Nodes. At the same time, one acquires the technique to keep the aura overflowing from these nodes around their body. If one cannot do this, the aura will continue to flow out from the opened nodes until they faint. This is the foundation of the foundations of training, the first of the Four Major Principles: 'Ten'.
Once 'Ten' is firmly acquired, one learns the technique 'Ren' to draw out more aura and generate explosive power. Conversely, there is also a technique called 'Zetsu' which suppresses one's presence by closing the Aura Nodes.
After training in 'Ten', 'Ren', and 'Zetsu', one learns how to handle aura. The culmination of Nen abilities that lies beyond that is 'Hatsu'. This technique varies infinitely depending on the individuality of the person learning it; in other words, it is a unique ability possessed only by that person.
I ended up acquiring this special ability 'Hatsu', which is usually gained at the end of numerous training sessions, by ignoring the process entirely. Normally this is impossible, but very rarely, such exceptions exist. It seems there are cases where those who have not trained in Nen, or who do not even know of Nen's existence, suddenly become able to use 'Hatsu' through talent alone. I seem to fall into this category.
However, in such cases, because the ability is created unconsciously, the user often cannot fully grasp the details, resulting in warped effects. 'Hatsu' is originally a technique devised after the user themselves carefully considers an ability suited to their own characteristics. I cannot say I grasp my own 'Hatsu' accurately either. My understanding is only to the extent that I can vaguely predict the effects from the feeling of using it.
I named this ability 'Spirit Synchronization'. It is likely an ability belonging to the category called 'Manipulation'. Manipulation types excel at controlling others or objects by dominating them with Nen. In doing so, they often prepare some kind of 'medium'. For example, infusing Nen into a coin and manipulating whoever picks up that coin.
As such, one cannot simply manipulate anyone unconditionally. If a medium is used, the effect is cancelled if the medium is removed. It is an ability that often has various other restrictions imposed on it. On the other hand, once the ability activates, it exerts a powerful effect leaving the manipulated victim no means to resist. Depending on the case, it is possible to continue manipulating someone over a long term while consuming almost no aura during the activation.
In my case, the medium is "radio waves." I am utilizing the radio wave communication ability that Chimera Ants naturally possess. Used normally, it is just a communication wave for contact, but I have become able to transmit it carrying a faint aura.
Since radio waves have no physical form, there is no worry about the medium being destroyed, and the means to prevent this are limited. Furthermore, it can affect a tremendously wide range. Even for a pure Emitter, an average user probably could not cover this kind of range. The ability to manipulate opponents who receive these thought waves... or so it seems. I haven't verified it in detail yet so I don't know for sure, but if this conjecture is correct, it is a powerful ability. So powerful it's scary.
The fact that my body no longer needs to lay eggs is likely due to the effect of this ability. I am manipulating the eggs inside my stomach, stopping the egg-laying function, although even I don't know exactly how I did it. Or perhaps, I might be manipulating my own self. There are Manipulation abilities that control oneself, after all. Or rather, manipulating unborn eggs might be synonymous with manipulating myself.
I am happy to have obtained a very powerful ability. But before I could rejoice, there was something I had to do. Eating. I'm already starving to death.
I was thrown out of the nest, but this is still inside the red forest. Since the wasteland is visible nearby, I assume this is the outer rim. There are plenty of red stones, which are my food. I won't starve to death.
Or so I thought.
These red stones are tremendously hard. They are completely different from what I have eaten up until now. Even biting with serious intent doesn't leave a single scratch. Even leaving aside the fact that my physical strength is weakened, this hardness was extraordinary.
Observing closely, the color is different from the stones I usually ate. Those were a pale red. The stones here are a dark red tinged with black. Don't tell me there are edible stones and inedible stones? I didn't know...
But I cannot return to the nest now. This time I might really be killed. I am no longer a Queen Ant, just an exile. I have to look after myself. There is no choice but to manage to eat this stone.
Biting normally, at best I'd only get scrapings. Then, I came up with a good idea. I should enter a state of 'Ten'. Ten is mainly a defensive technique, but it should also improve physical ability.
Just as I thought, I performed Ten easily. Although I took the irregular form of awakening to 'Hatsu' first, my Aura Nodes were opened because of it. Yet, the fact that I can remain in a natural state without consuming aura means my body probably already remembers how to do Ten. Otherwise, my aura would have depleted, and I would be in a dangerous state.
I can see the membrane of light covering my body. However, I could only manage 'Ten'; I couldn't do 'Ren'. I guess it won't go that smoothly. They say if you tackle Ren training while immature, you'll develop bad habits that will conversely hinder growth. Let's practice it properly after I can master Ten firmly.
My fangs, fortified with Ten, managed to bite into the red stone. Since not even a scratch was made even with my full power just a moment ago, my power has certainly increased. However, that didn't change the fact that it was still hard. I bit repeatedly, cutting off fragments little by little.
The penance continued even after cutting out the fragments. Now I had to chew them until they could be swallowed. My jaw felt like it was going to break. To top it off, the taste is bad too. Compared to the stones I usually ate, there are many impurities. I understood just how blessed of an environment I had been in.
Even so, I don't think of stopping eating. Until now, I have rejected meals. I was suppressing the desires that form the foundation of a living creature. Compared to that pain, eating this dark red stone is nothing. Rather, I was grateful that I was allowed to eat. I became able to have a meal while maintaining 'myself'. That was a great joy.
I greedily devour the stone with a crunching sound. If I weren't maintaining Ten, it would be inedible. This looks like it will be good training. That's right, let's think positively.
For the time being, the first goal I set is 'Complete Recovery of Injuries'. This body is my only capital. Nothing can begin unless I become healthy. To do that, I must eat well and rest well. That obvious thing is difficult.
I managed the food. The next thing needed is water. In a sense, this is more important than food. Many creatures cannot live without water. We are no exception.
This wasteland is a harsh environment. There is no water source nearby. At least since I was born, I haven't even seen it rain. It is dry anyway. There might be a rainy season, but I didn't have the leeway to wait leisurely for it.
However, the other ants were procuring water from somewhere. Naturally, there shouldn't have been a water source near the nest either. Where were they getting that water from?
Thirsty, I recall the taste of water. Thinking carefully, that wasn't just water. It tasted the same as the red stones. Since I was given water mouth-to-mouth by soldier ants, maybe saliva mixed in and made it taste like that.
However, let's think from a different perspective. I call the food 'Red Stones', but I have realized that these are not stones but plants. If they are plants, they must need water to live.
If they are plants, they have roots and absorb moisture from the ground. Perhaps the water we drink is obtained from there. If this hypothesis is wrong, I will have to return to the nest and beg for water. It is certain I will be ignored. No, I will probably be attacked.
Seeking water, I dug through the earth. Digging while in a state of Ten is easy, but it is difficult to maintain it continuously. Fatigue sets in before the aura runs out, and concentration breaks. I tackled the hole digging while including the extension of Ten's duration as a task.
Although I say just digging a hole, this is quite hard labor. Digging through ground that has dried and become hard requires physical strength. Well, it's still better than crushing red stones, but there are many troublesome things. Like disposing of the soil after digging.
If it were soft soil, I could probably pack the soil around the hole to make a path, but dry soil blocks the path the more you dig, making it impossible to move. So, I have to dig a little, carry the soil out, and repeat. But this is also training. I feel like there was a training method similar to this, I think.
In the end, it took three days to reach the roots. The root part of the red plant was deep underground. I'm going to die of thirst. If there was no water here, I'd have no choice but to raid the nest and rob them.
In conclusion, there was water. The root part was soft and contained a slight amount of moisture. Yes, a very slight amount. The shriveled and almost dried-up roots were so frail I wondered if they were really functioning. Furthermore, the taste of that moisture was exceptionally bad.
Really terrible. Worse than the dark red stones. A collaboration woven of bitterness and astringency. Still, it is precious moisture. I licked off the bitter juice while being careful not to damage the root as much as possible. I can tell with one lick that toxins are concentrated in it. Since we have resistance to this poison and use it as a means of combat, I know instinctively.
Even for this body with resistance, that concentrated toxin might have exceeded my processing limit, as I felt a little sick. The road to complete recovery is long...
I thought about why there are only poor-quality dark red stones in this place where I was thrown out.
I suspect the individual red plant I am eating itself is on the verge of death. To put it further, all the plants growing on the outer rim of the red forest are on the verge of death. The red plants on the outer rim of the forest are all dark red. That is why the roots are emaciated and have no decent moisture, aren't they?
The place where my nest was located was near the center of this forest. I think that place had many plants with brighter colors. In other words, new individuals increase as you go to the center, and old individuals increase as you go to the outer rim. So to speak, this forest itself takes the structure of a single tree ring.
To summarize, this place where I was exiled was a location with the worst conditions. Damn it.
However, I am no longer a weakling who whines over something of this level. I've gotten used to the bad stones and water now. No, rather, recently I've come to understand the goodness of this taste. This indescribable, unique astringency has become a habit.
The amount of water obtained is small, but I have secured enough for me alone to survive. I got used to the concentrated poison too. No symptoms of poisoning were seen, and my physical condition recovered smoothly.
The wounds incurred on my exoskeleton are also regenerating. New hard tissue formed to cover the wounds. However, only that part became distorted in shape. And perhaps due to the influence of the stones I'm eating, I feel like my body color is gradually becoming blackish.
However, the torn-off leg did not regenerate. It remains three legs. If at least four were left, it would have been easier to keep my balance. Because of that, I have to walk while scraping my head against the ground. That King Ant... this is that thing people say in the human world. It must be d-d... Dramatic Violence.
Complete recovery took one month. Regarding Nen training, I can't say there was much progress. I still couldn't do Ren. I understand it's not something that can be handled so simply, but my feelings of impatience grow.
Training is not easy. There are often times I want to quit. But I set a new goal. That is "to acquire the strength to live alone." To do that, I cannot be discouraged here.
I am an ant separated from the colony. Nay, I might be starting to deviate even from the framework of an ant as a living creature. I was also able to awaken to the power called Nen. I have already stopped living as a colony and gained the power to lead a life as an individual.
But that is still not enough. Surely, in the world outside this red forest, there are mountains of dangers beyond my imagination. There are many, many more things I want to do. I didn't intend to end my life inside this red forest.