The three Heatglider simultaneously rose into the air, as they eyed their next target and readied their stingers.
Paul tried his best to look cool, calm and collected while his brain went into overdrive in order to figure out a way for him to get out this situation alive.
However the more he analyzed his current predicament, the more difficult it became to remain calm. After all this was the worst situation he had been in so far.
All of his fights had been one on one and even the time he met the Emberqueen, she wasn't hostile towards him, since she assumed him to just be another one of her children.
(One Salamander was bad enough, three Salamander was worse, so why the hell am I stuck fighting the guys who killed those Salamanders?)
Paul couldn't help but feel personally slighted at this point. The goddess had resurrected him with a noble purpose and all he had done so far was wander from one life threatening situation to the next.
He even became a mythical creature known for its majestic appearance and yet he looked like a rubber chicken that had managed to somehow grow hair. And now he had to once more overcome a dangerous situation.
While he was standing still, trying to find the best way out, the three Heatgliders attempted to intimidate him from the air. They seemed hesitant to attack at first, a detail that Paul didn't notice at first. But then this stalemate went on for another thirty seconds, which made Paul rethink the situation.
(Why aren't they attacking me? Weren't they eager to get rid of me? … Maybe, just maybe … Screw this, I already decided to survive and I don't see any other way out. Might as well try it out)
He lifted his front legs high above his head, making himself look bigger than he was.
The Heatgliders flinched midair, upon seeing Pauls action. They were visibly shaken to see their tactic fail. The other ants would run away, when confronted by numerical superiority and yet this one didn't.
On the other side, Paul sighed inwardly. He wasn't out of danger just yet, but his plan had worked and this gave him the courage to continue.
(They killed the Salamanders easily after the ant group died and now they aren't attacking me. I'm pretty sure my thinking is correct, but testing a theory with my life on the line is seriously unnerving)
He took another step forward and made sure to wave his front legs in the air, as this seemed to cause the biggest reaction.
In response the three Heatglider screeched at him, while slowly gliding backwards.
(Stop screaming at me, you stupid flying monkeys. I'm not doing this for fun, so piss off already)
Gradually getting more frustrated than scared, Paul started becoming more aggressive in his intimidation attempt. Waving wildly and jumping in place, or as much as his ant body allowed.
However Paul was not alone in his frustrations, so were the three Heatgliders. When pushed into a corner, monsters would behave like a desperate animal and the one in the middle was one, who fell into that category.
In exasperation the Heatglider raised its stinger and shot a whitish transparent liquid.
The attack landed on Pauls exoskeleton with a 'splat'. He wasn't expecting an attack from them, since they had been so passive in their actions.
Skiiieee!
(GYAAAA, I'm hit, I'm gonna die …. Hm? Or maybe not?)
Paul was confused by a lack of pain or other unpleasant sensations. Considering how the Salamanders writhed in pain after getting hit, he hadn't expected this.
(Wait a second … these guys didn't make a move until after the group of Emberants were killed. Could it be …?)
Assured of its victory the middle Heatglider approached Paul, who stood still. It glided towards him and readied its stinger for a lethal strike, like they did against the Salamanders.
The tail slowly pulled back, building up tension like a spring, which is how it becomes powerful enough to pierce the skull of a monster. Despite the long windup required for this attack, it was worth it, as it could instantly kill the other monsters in that mountain. And when paired with the paralytic poison they used, it became an instant win method for them.
Why had they been so scared of this ant? So what if it behaved differently? In the end it will fall like the rest of their prey.
It positioned itself in front of Paul aiming to end this conflict in one swift strike.
Whack!
Suddenly a shovel like appendage slammed into its face, causing it to crash to the ground where it wriggled around, screeching in pain.
Whack!
The Heatglider gasped.
It got hit again in the same manner as before, except this time his throat was the target. An acute pain spread from his windpipe and vocal cords to the back of his neck.
Whack!
Another strike to its throat left it wheezing and unable to scream, its panting a desperate attempt to still get air into its lungs.
Whack!
A final strike made its body twitch, stretching one of its arms, as if grasping for its last hope, before going limp.
Seeing their friend die, the other two immediately fled, which made Paul sigh in relief.
He flopped down to the ground and sprawled out, the tension leaving his body.
(Finally, I thought they would never leave)
When he saw the Heatgliders hesitate, he went for it, hoping it would turn in his favor. He started the fight thinking it was a losing battle, only to discover the other side thought the same. And for a reason he didn't expect.
(I wondered why these creepy ants hadn't overrun the mountain yet, but the reason is pretty simple. The species that live here are in a constant fight against each other, like a rock paper scissors but for monsters)
The Salamanders ate the Emberants, the Heatgliders ate the Salamanders and the Emberants killed the Heatgliders. In this way they kept each other in check.
The Emberants moved in groups to protect themselves against a Salamander attack, who in turn used ambush tactics against them.
The Heatgliders did something similar, as they demonstrated before, attacking when the Salamanders were distracted fighting the ants. They preferred to use this tactic, since their paralytic poison couldn't penetrate the Emberants exoskeleton.
These rivalries formed the ecosystem and thus the backbone of Mount Ignaz.
The Emberants would dig tunnels through the mountain, which would then be flooded by lava because of the Salamanders. This constant movement kept it from becoming pressurized and exploding. The Heatgliders would then horde the Salamanders into specific directions to keep them from flooding to many tunnels.
This was how the monsters there lived and Paul just managed to experience that fact for himself.
(This … could this be my chance?)
An idea flashed in his mind. The three monster races were constantly fighting, so if he stays as an Emberant he'll continue being a target. But what if he used his [Polymorph] skill to change between the three when necessary? Not only would it increase his chances of survival, exploring the mountain and finding an exit would become much easier.
(I'll have to raise my skill level first)
Paul started dragging the bodies of a Heatglider and a Salamander with much difficulty, before others arrive to scavenge the remains.
(Urgh, another training session is in order)
After a few minutes he found a corner with some shade. He then used his ant form to dig a hole in the wall, making a temporary nest to replace the one he lost.
It was obviously worse than the last one, as it didn't have a barrier for protection, but it would serve its function.
Grrr!
His stomach rumbled.
(Oh, I guess I've gone an entire day without eating)
He glanced at the bodies he so painstakingly brought into his new accommodations.
(I'm no master chef but then again I'm not even human anymore so I'll have to do with this … No wait, I need them for the new forms of [Polymorph])
Now being torn between his hunger, his lust for adventure and his need for survival, he had to make a decision and the conclusion he come to was simple
(Can I use Polymorph on a half eaten body? Otherwise I'll have no choice but pick one now and hunt a new one later, but if I have to choose one …)
A simple compromise of the two. Choosing the form that granted him the greatest chance at survival, while also allowing him to explore more.
He walked around the Heatglider observing every detail of its body, spending more time looking at the tail and the membrane between its arms and legs, which it used to fly.
Unlike the Salamander, the Heatglider could fly giving him a huge advantage. Of course his Phoenix form will eventually be capable of flight as well, but he couldn't count on it since he didn't know when it would happen.
It didn't take long to make his decision, after that consideration.
He started peeling the scales of the Salamander, a process that was more complicated than it appeared, as his shovel like legs weren't a great tool for precise work like that. It required a lot of patience and it didn't help that his stomach continued rumbling the entire time, until he decided to take a bite to calm it down.
YUUUUUMMY!
An incredible taste spread through his mouth. The flesh was warm and soft to the point that it seemed to melt in his mouth like butter. The warmth seemed to spread from his mouth to his stomach and then to the rest of his body, making him shiver in euphoria.
Tears streamed out his eyes. He hadn't eaten anything this delicious, since coming to this world. In fact he had survived on a moss diet so far, and even though he didn't mind the taste to much, it just couldn't compare to this.
(Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay in this mountain a bit longer and enjoy this gourmet meal as much as possible)
Paul intended to thoroughly savor this incredible flavor to the end and so did, taking one bite after the other
A few minutes later he slumped to the ground, having eaten his fill and then some.
(Aaaah, that hit the spot … wait a second …)
He looked towards the now half eaten body of the Salamander.
(Ooops! I guess I kinda got carried)