Aegis formed a ball of water in his palm and then started fleeing from the Ant King, looking exactly like a coward running for his life.
The Ant King's compound eye glazed.
Its mouth twisted into something resembling sadistic pleasure as it watched the human retreat.
To it, this was proof. Proof that fear had finally taken hold.
Whoosh...
With predatory determination, it gave chase.
But it did not know one thing.
Aegis was not a coward.
As he ran, Aegis compressed the ball of water in his hand until it shrank to the size of a small baseball. The pressure inside it increased violently. Then he fed it more energy, forcing it to expand again, swelling to the size of a soccer ball.
Then he compressed it once more.
And again.
Over and over, he repeated the process while sprinting, each compression stacking pressure upon pressure.
The water ball began to vibrate visibly, "buzzz!"
It was no longer stable.
The very air around it buzzed.
From its surface, thin wisps of steam began to rise, as if something catastrophic was occurring within. It looked less like water now and more like a miniature star struggling to stay contained.
"Buzz!"
Aegis felt it.
The limit was close.
He suddenly stopped mid air.
Turning around, he raised his left hand and calmly raised his middle finger at the Ant King.
The Ant King did not understand the gesture.
But it understood the intention. The human was blatantly mocking him.
Understanding this, rage exploded within it.
With a furious screech, it flapped its insectoid wings and rushed toward Aegis at terrifying speed, intent on tearing him apart in the next instant.
That was exactly what Aegis had been waiting for.
He quickly activated the Sea Crown, which, besides making his appearance regal, amplified his magic power by 50%.
The water ball buzzed more violently.
He immediately swung his right hand and threw it straight at the incoming Ant King's face.
Wherever the water ball passed, it left a terrifying visual.
The Ant King sensed that the threat was real. It immediately turned around to flee, but by then it was too late.
The terrifying water ball, amplified by the golden crown, struck right behind its back.
Not an explosion that caused fire and ashes.
Instead, the sphere collapsed inward.
"BOOOM!"
The water ball imploded with a deafening sound and created a terrifying vacuum. The surrounding atmosphere was violently sucked toward the point of impact, crushing everything nearby.
The Ant King's hardened armour pulled in instantly.
Its body was dragged forward, compressed, and twisted as internal pressure tore through it.
Its chitin shattered. Limbs turned to dust.
The creature let out a distorted screech before the vacuum ripped straight through its core.
It was not over yet.
Next, the pressure reversed.
"WHAM — CRASH"
It created a massive shockwave that blasted outward, shredding branches and sending debris flying in every direction.
When the air finally stabilized, the Ant King's body fell from the sky in pieces, lifeless before it even hit the bark below.
Aegis was also flung away like ragdoll. Even he didn't expect the attack to be this devastating at all.
Using water Propulsion, he gained his footing.
On his head, the golden Crown's glow became weaker as it slowly returned to its disguised headband form.
For a moment, he looked at his own hand.
Then his eyes looked toward the falling remains of Ant King.
He couldn't believe that he just slain a Count level beast. It was simply unbelievable.
No one would believe this.
Far away, the ant legion guarding the Fruit of Evolution froze in place.
Without their king, their movements became chaotic. Their coordination collapsed almost instantly.
Bella easily dismantled the rest of the ants with her Ice Manipulation skill.
As she went to pick up the ripened fruits, Aegis joined her.
She was stunned to see him back so early.
"You're back so early? What happened out there?" she asked while holding the magical fruits.
"I killed it. Didn't you hear the noise?" he said nonchalantly.
She frowned, as if not believing him at all.
"Don't lie. It was a Count-level creature. Even for both of us, it would be impossible to kill it."
He snorted lightly.
"Impossible for you, not for me."
He then walked over to her side and snatched two vibrant green fruits from her hands.
She watched him head upward, remaining rooted on the spot.
"Aegis is this strong? But why does his smell feel so familiar?" she muttered in confusion, her pale eyes locked on his back.
"My Lady, you're here. Phew… we were searching for you everywhere."
Her followers quickly joined her.
Bella's eyes darted among the six or seven humans, but finally locked onto a little girl.
"Ruina, come over here," she ordered, returning to her cold demeanor.
The little girl's eyes shone with fanatical fervor.
"Yes, Master," Ruina smiled happily.
"What do you have for me? Oh, that thing smells very delicious. Would you give that to me, Master?"
"Yes," Bella nodded. "I picked this especially for you. After you eat this, I am sure you will be able to evolve into a full dragon."
Only then did the little girl's small protruding horns and thin tail become apparent.
"Thank you, Master." The little girl's eyes moistened. "Ever since you rescued me from that devil, my life has changed entirely. Now I wish to dedicate the rest of my life to serving you."
Bella waved it off, looking annoyed.
"Alright, alright. Enough with that emotional drama. All I want is the result. If you prove yourself a failure, I will cast you out without another notice."
The half-draconic girl shivered.
"No, Master. I won't fail you. Our bloodline has a long history of draconic lineage. With this blessing, I am certain I will be able to evolve into a true dragon."
"That's good. I need you to dominate the sky," Bella said, her expression extremely determined, tinged with longing.
"And find him."