Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

 Time went by quickly, and soon, 7 more days passed. During this time, Liu Shu focused on <Enchanted Growth> and <Nature's gift>, gaining a lot of proficiency in the latter. Nature's Gift managed to level up to F Rank Level 4, going up by more than half the level and approaching Level 5.

Other than that, Liu Shu received another 84 points of experience. What hadn't happened lately was Liu Shu fighting against anything. After the Rose Fairy set up around her, while they tried not to affect the surroundings so that creatures would still stumble on her, their traces were everywhere.

While hiding might fool some creatures, animals were very intuitive, knowing that something was wrong when they entered the Rose Fairy territory. This was more so when the recent Thornstride attack filled this area with powerful scents, marks, and more.

In short, the battle had become increasingly scarce. This was the reason for <Energy Methods> to be so important all around the world. Still, the fact that experience can be gained through killing meant that powers only focused on it were not strange.

A group of three people moved along the forest, their bodies surrounded by dark green clothes. They all wore similar deep purple wooden masks.

One of them, the one who looked like the leader because of the strength of his general atmosphere, asked as they ran through the forest at a relatively fast pace. "Have you all gotten the mission details correctly?"

Another answered. "We need to gain more information about the rumor that has started in Fortuna City, right?"

The third spoke. "Hm. Did you expect us to come this far without knowing anything?"

The one who spoke first snorted. "It would not be my first time having to remind newbies of their duties."

This group of three was from one of the mentioned powers. One of them asked. "Do we slice this forest down? There are a few trees that could benefit our experience pools."

The leader talked back. "Have you not learned anything? Trees and flora, in general, are not a good source of experience points. Only other plants can benefit fully from the experience they give. In the worst case, you'll lose experience points from killing them. Penalties can be harsh."

That person clicked their tongue. "I know that World Trees or fully intelligent flora are the only thoroughly Plant creatures that give experience as usual. If it weren't like that, all forests in the world might've been cut down already."

The leader sighed. "Being too experience-thirsty is not good, even if we are <Void Witherwood> disciples."

These people were from one of the powers mentioned above. A group of people who venerated strength gained by battle and disdained any other method.

Lately, a few people who had come to hunt in the Golden Sap Forest, the forest where Liu Shu resided, noticed the strange movement of creatures. This pushed people to investigate, and they saw groups of creatures of one type moving around.

In this world, <Monster Waves> existed, which were usually created when a significant shift in the ecosystem forced the majority of beings in one place to move away.

As beasts, plant creatures, and other types of beings moved, they didn't attack each other because their focus was on migrating. This lack of aggression could create large masses of creatures of all types that could overrun cities.

The name <Monster Waves> was given to this phenomenon in honor of the monstrous destruction they caused. It could get so bad enough that even when the highest levels of the creatures inside the mass were in their 10s, Level 20, Level 25, and more could fall prey to them.

Plus, the real danger was that, as it advanced and swallowed more creatures, Experience Points were diverted across the stampede, increasing their strength over time.

With this latent danger in mind, people would always check out what was happening when a large number of beasts moved at once.

Spotting them beforehand could prevent many tragedies.

So, Fortuna and other surrounding cities received news of this, making the powers stationed there give missions to their disciples to go and check what was happening.

If reports said that the chance was high, then the powers would send their higher-level people. When it was confirmed that a <Monster Wave> would occur, then the real powerful people would go and clean up a bit.

"Hey, leader. I've found something."

The other two approached that person and looked down. The leader nodded. "Good job. These trails clearly come from groups of beasts of the same species. Hm, from their distance apart, it should be a quadrupedal beast. With those sharp and pointy-looking parts, it should be a bug-type beast."

"But look, leader. These are not quadrupedal."

The group leader looked over and frowned. "That's… a woman's footprint? But it's wrong, right?"

"Perhaps she has strange feet?"

The other two looked at him with a deadpan. However, they didn't completely rule out his words. After all, creatures roaming in the forest could gain really bizarre forms and shapes.

"Let's follow it. If we manage to spot a large gathering of beasts and report it, we'll get quite nice rewards."

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

With a firm answer, the three of them began following the trails on the ground.

Meanwhile, in a cave far away from there, a certain Ant Queen was swinging her slender and long naked legs as she lay face down on a couch. "Ah… I'm bored."

"Lady Ignatia, we've carried what you asked for."

Ignatia, the Ant Queen, looked up and directed her compound eyes toward the entrance of her room. Seeing the petite and red-haired woman who could probably sit on the palm of her hand, she smiled. "Oh, you are a new one."

The small Rose Fairy nodded. "I-I was born not long ago; I just reached Level 3!"

Ignatia squealed and swiftly approached, grabbing her and burying her in a literal valley of soft flesh. "Cute, so are so cute, darling. A little Level 3 child~. What do you want? Do you like this compost I made for my babies? Perhaps playing a bit with them would be nice as well~."

The Ant Queen went full motherly mode, making the petite Rose Fairy melt in the comfort given by the ultimate mother, an Ant Queen!

The small Rose Fairy was being fed something that was actually delicious while blinking. "L-Lady Ignatia-."

"Call me mommy~."

The Rose Fairy blushed. "M-Mommy Ignatia."

Ignatia giggled and used her antennae to tickle her face lovingly. "Cute~. What do you want, baby?"

"F-First! I've carried this thing you asked for, the, um. That long thing?"

Ignatia's eyebrow raised. "Oh? It's done already?"

The Rose Fairy nodded a few times. Then, she asked hesitantly. "But, wouldn't it have been better to wait?"

Ignatia smirked. "Don't worry. I'm just confident that I have the materials to create something much better in the future. For now, this is best."

Then, she communicated with a few worker ants that were around and asked them to carry over the things the Rose Fairy carried. Seeing it, her mouth arched. "Hehe, here you are~."

[Level 3 Ant Carapace Amulet (Basic-Grade Complete Level)]

+9 Aether Mana Shards

+9 Phoer Body Shards

+36 Anima Energy Shards

Aether (+3), Physique (+3), Anima (+9), Willpower (+3).

[Vital Increase (active)]: Use to increase Anima Energy Shards by 300 for a short period of time. If these Anima Energy Shards are not used in 20 seconds, they will dissipate. It can be used once a day.

Note: This is ****** first complete-level item. It's crafted to aid the Ant Queen in laying eggs while giving a decent overall stats boost. The materials were wasted on this low-level item. Overall, it's a decent item for the objective it was built for.

Ignatia blinked, cleaning her compound eyes while using her antennae to clean them a bit more. "This is much better than I expected."

The Rose Fairy, still trapped in the large valley created by the motherly ant queen, looked up and said timidly. "It would've been much better if you waited three days, m-mommy Ignatia…"

Ignatia looked down and laughed, poking the plump cheek of the fairy. "Don't worry. I have more of them saved. I just didn't expect that tree to have such a strong proficiency in making items. She is really good, huh."

The young fairy smiled widely. "Liu Shu Is really nice! Her aura is always so calming~."

Ignatia blinked and looked at the note again.

Note: This is Liu Shu's first…

Her lips arched. 'Heh~, she is called Liu Shu. Flor told me before, but I didn't fully trust her. This little one can't lie, so it was the truth.'

As Ignatia played with the reddish amulet and placed it on her chest, she commented. "Well, little one, was it comfortable?"

The Rose Fairy, who almost fell asleep between the softness and warmth, snapped out of her grogginess and answered loudly. "Y-Yes! Very comfortable!"

Ignatia laughed. "Good now-. Hm?" Her face changed entirely as she moved her compound eyes toward the entrance. Her antennae began twitching, and the other ants relayed information.

She looked down and picked up the tiny fairy, smiling and placing her in her resting area. "Little one, wait here, okay? I'll be back quickly."

The Rose Fairy saw Ignatia's solemn expression and nodded, full of trust. "Okay!"

Ignatia patted her head with two fingers and then walked out, her wide hips swaying together with her ant-thorax-like tail while her face turned cold and murderous. "Call all warrior ants." Then, she smiled. "Food just delivered itself to our doors."

Meanwhile, outside the cave, the group of three people looked around with wary eyes. "Be careful. This is an ant nest. Although I'm Level 10 and you both are Level 9, creatures here can become quite annoying to deal with if we are not careful."

He explained that a wave of red spread out from the cave entrance they were observing, making them feel quite horrified. Behind all the ants that appeared, a charming woman with a cold face and voluptuous curves appeared. Still, her facial characteristics and ant thorax protrusion going from above her hips told them that she was a humanized ant queen.

The leader's face was a bit horrified. "No way, a humanized ant queen? When did this one appear?"

He quickly checked her stats.

***

Level: 12

Aether Mana Shards: 3096/3096

Phoer Body Shards: 8948/8948

Anima Energy Shards: 5587/5707

***

His face became ugly. 'Level 12?! Since when did the Golden Sap Forest have Level 12 beings?'

Ignatia looked around and suddenly pointed their way. Then, a massive fireball flew their way like a shooting star.

BOOM!

Ignatia's lips arched in a sneer. "If you want to play, don't hide, and come out, humans."