The birth had lasted for hours.
By the time it was over, the young Queen, Alexander, lay sprawled on the ground, completely drained. His body felt heavy, his breathing uneven as it rose and fell in strained intervals. Deep within his muscles, tension still lingered—the aftermath of a process that had pushed him to his limits. And yet, his eyes remained open.
Focused.
On the new egg resting near his head.
It was slightly larger than the others. Its color was the same as always—black. A deep, dull black that seemed to swallow light itself. Alexander watched it for a long time. He could feel something taking shape within it. Not yet born, but already part of this world.
A faint scraping sound broke the silence.
One of the smaller Drones was approaching.
It carried an egg in its mouth.
Its steps were hurried, its breathing quick. Small beads of moisture clung to its body—It had clearly struggled to obtain it.
Alexander lifted his head slightly.
A low, vibrating murmur escaped his throat and echoed faintly in the air.
It was approval.
The young Drone paused the moment it heard it, then placed the egg beside the Queen with visible eagerness. Without lingering, it turned and rushed back to join the others. Within moments, they were playing again—chasing, bumping into each other, rolling across the ground.
Alexander lowered his head toward the egg. His teeth touched the shell, and a soft crack followed. It broke easily. The thick fluid inside slid down his throat, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment as he swallowed. Then he chewed the remaining shell and consumed it as well.
His gaze drifted back to the young Drones.
They had once been nothing more than restless little creatures, wasting their energy on meaningless movement. Now… they were changing. The egg that had just been brought to him was proof enough. A faint sense of warmth settled within him as he watched them. His Drones were growing stronger.
For three weeks, they had lived in this new region. Small ponds, fertile grazing grounds, abundant resources, rich biodiversity… and opportunity. Most of their time was spent exploring and hunting. They rarely stayed in one place for long, moving every few days to a new spot to spend the night. In a short time, they had come to know the land like the back of their hand.
The young ones had adapted faster than expected.
At times, they found bird nests and stole eggs. They chased small rodents and lizards, often failing—but never giving up.
To them, it was a game.
To Alexander, it was not.
This was learning. This was growth.
After spending their first month feeding only on grass, this new way of life was exactly what they needed. Their instincts were sharpening, their movements gaining purpose.
A few minutes later, Alexander pulled his gaze away from the young ones. Taking care of them was important… but there was something more important.
The system interface appeared in his mind.
He focused.
Layers of information shifted, data scrolled, headings rearranged themselves. At last, the screen he was looking for settled into place.
[Race: Nuxali]
[Class: Worker]
[Type: Burrower Worker Drone]
[
CON 0
STR 0
AGI 0
DEX 0
INT 0
]
[Biomass] 6.2 / 6.3
------[Traits]-----
[Thick Hide]
[Excavator Claws]
[Reinforced Forelimbs]
[Enhanced Olfaction]
[Vibration Sense]
[Low Oxygen Tolerance]
[Tunnel Memory]
[Nocturnal Vision]
[Herbivory]
[Prehensile Tongue]
[Biomass Requirement] – 148%
Alexander immediately began reading the descriptions of the new traits.
[Thick Hide]
Possesses thick, flexible, and durable skin.
[Excavator Claws]
Long, powerful claws optimized for digging; break through soil quickly and efficiently.
[Reinforced Forelimbs]
Strengthened forelimbs; increase endurance during prolonged digging.
[Enhanced Olfaction] (Medium)
Improved nasal structure and increased density of olfactory receptors; allows more sensitive detection of scent particles.
[Vibration Sense] (Low)
Limited development in vibration detection; can sense nearby movement with low accuracy.
[Low Oxygen Tolerance] (Low)
Reduces oxygen consumption by lowering metabolic rate and improving respiratory efficiency; resistant to high CO₂ levels. Can operate for extended periods in confined, low-oxygen tunnels.
[Tunnel Memory]
Mentally maps excavated tunnels; prevents loss of orientation.
[Prehensile Tongue]
Long, sticky, and highly controllable tongue; allows it to quickly capture small prey (such as ants and termites) in tight spaces
Alexander let his gaze linger on the system interface for a while longer. The new Worker Drone wasn't perfect; he hadn't fully analyzed all the traits of the aardvark he had consumed, and some had manifested in weaker or incomplete forms. Yet, contrary to what one might expect, this didn't bother him. This wasn't a failure—it was a beginning. Ever since he had entered this region, an idea had been taking shape in his mind, and now it was becoming something tangible. The thought of establishing a base—one he could control not only above ground but below it as well—was no longer abstract. The first step had already been taken.
When he focused on the production cost of the new Worker Drone, the number made him pause for a brief moment.
Twenty biomass.
Far lower than he had expected.
The reason was clear. Although the Drone possessed multiple new traits, most of them were weaker than the original abilities of the aardvark. The system had reconstructed them in reduced forms rather than fully replicating them. But this wasn't a drawback—it was an advantage. Lower cost meant more units, and more units meant faster expansion. The thought settled into his mind with quiet satisfaction.
He continued navigating the system, exploring possibilities and testing its limits, trying to understand how far he could push it. But before long, his body asserted itself. The deep, lingering ache within his muscles had not faded. The toll of the birth still remained, and no matter how capable he was, ignoring his limits would only work against him.
So he chose not to resist.
He lay down and allowed himself to rest.
From time to time, he sent short, precise commands to the Drones, instructing them to gather grass for him. He conserved his energy carefully, avoiding any unnecessary movement. The rest of the day passed in a calm, controlled rhythm.
The following days unfolded much the same way. Feeding in the grasslands, drinking from the ponds, resting in between. Alexander refused to rush. He knew that attempting to hunt before fully recovering would almost certainly end in failure.
He waited.
And then, one morning, everything changed.
The moment he woke, he felt it clearly. The heaviness in his muscles was gone. His mind was sharp, his instincts refined once more. There was nothing left holding him back.
When he rose to his feet and looked out across the vast savanna, a single thought settled firmly in his mind:
It was time to hunt again.