After Leveling Up to Level 12, Liu Shu was left with almost no Accumulated Experience Points. Therefore, her quick Level Up was stunted for a while. This was not bad because Liu Shu had grown a lot during the Level Ups, gaining a massive stat boost.
Even when a World Tree's innate ability to control their body was superb, they still needed ti to get used to their strength boosts when they were too large.
Liu Shu has gone from Level 8 to Level 12 in a relatively short ti. Therefore, she was now exploring her actual reach and limits.
For that, the best way was to expand her roots.
'After the integration of the Golden Sap Forest, I can feel my surroundings much more clearly. It feels like I have a new .'
Integrating the forest was incredibly rewarding for Liu Shu. There were no stat boosts or titles yet because she had only integrated part of the entire forest, only as far as her roots reached. So, from the 4,000 hectares that the Golden Sap Forest occupied, Liu Shu was still developing a root net to swallow everything.
For now, how far her roots could spread was unclear to Liu Shu. 'Let's focus on spreading my roots. Once the entire forest beyond the grove becos my domain, it will be much easier to control. After all, my will be able to reach everywhere.'
For one month straight, Liu Shu focused on just that, expanding. Her roots accelerated and moved through the ground, reaching further and deeper, creating a complex and sturdy root system.
After she beca Level 12, no other tree in this forest had enough strength to fight her. Moreover, thanks to Liu Shu's reaching all around her, the wish to resist was null for all trees. Instead, they all welcod the creature that was taking control of the forest.
From 500 to 1000 ters in radius, and yet, she could still go on. There was no strain in her roots. The enormous mine under her was also filled with roots. She even reached Ignatia's nest and covered its walls.
Ignatia woke up and saw the World Trees roots covering everything in her main chamber. "Liu Shu, are these roots yours?"
A powerful yet gentle and soothing voice spread in Ignatia's room. "Good morning, Ignatia. And, yes, they are mine."
Looking at the energy flowing through them, Ignatia couldn't help but mutter in awe. "So much mana…" Looking around her and taking in a deep breath, she could feel her mind feeling refreshed.
Ignatia smiled. 'Just Level 12, and the effects are already like this. Indeed, my choice was not wrong. Moreover, I got a cute little darling to take care of~. Speaking of which… Where is she?'
Ignatia stretched and walked through the tunnels her children had built. "By the way, Liu Shu."
Knowing of the everpresent eyes of the World Tree, Ignatia just spoke to the air. As expected, a few minutes later, the World Tree's voice reached her. "What's wrong, Ignatia?"
Ignatia asked. "My colony will probably create deeper and more complex tunnels as we grow in size. Do you mind moving out of our digging paths when that happens? You can surround our tunnels, but free and clean tunnels are quite essential for our colony to function perfectly."
Liu Shu giggled. "No problem, Ignatia! Your children walking on my roots feels ticklish and nice. Tell them to gently nibble my root when they want to move out of the way, I'll be attentive."
Ignatia smiled. "Okay, Liu Shu. We'll do so. Thank you."
"No problem~. You and your children are protecting , so I want you to be comfortable!"
Ignatia felt her heart soften. "We will protect you, Liu Shu. Next ti, we will be strong enough, I promise."
"Okay~!"
Feeling the World Tree's presence beco thin again, the Ant Queen laughed. "She is so adorable, really. The cutest World Tree ever? Perhaps~."
She reached the brood chamber quickly and looked at the newly born ants. "Very nice~ there are a few D- Rank ants. Most of them are in the E Rank and…" Ignatia frowned. "There are batches of F Rank still appearing. Am I not eating enough? I think I should be eating enough, right…?"
Looking at it with a worried look, she picked an F Rank larva in her arms and kissed it. The plump white larva was bigger than a newborn child. "Why have you been born so weak, darling? Were your siblings greedy and stole so of your nutrients inside mommy's abdon?"
Ignatia felt a bit distressed for her F Rank children. The weakest ones, taking her skills into account, should be E- Rank.
A worker ant approached, communicating with Ignatia through pheromones. 'Queen Mother, don't be sad. They will work for the colony as well as the rest.'
Ignatia sighed. "I don't doubt that, but I feel a bit bad. After all, an F Rank ant has a shorter lifespan compared to the rest… Ugh, my little darling is so unfortunate."
The worker ant had very limited intelligence, so she didn't know what to do to console her Queen Mother. In an effort to cheer her up, she approached and crawled around her. She was around 1 ter long, so crawling around Ignatia was a bit complicated, but her intentions to console Ignatia were clear.
Ignatia felt her motherly love burst, and she smiled softly, hugging the worker ant. "Oh, darling. Don't worry so much; you know how Mommy just loves all of you so much. So, I'll be a bit sad if one of you dies…"
When she rembered the ant massacres that happened while protecting Liu Shu, her heart was a bit torn. However, Liu Shu was basically their ho, and lately, Ignatia has also taken Liu Shu as another one of her children. So, she didn't regret it. Even if she went back in ti, her decisions would have not changed that much.
The worker ant, a bit frustrated, said again. 'Working for the colony and Queen Mother is our joy. We are happy.'
Ignatia laughed, rubbing her face with the hard carapace of the ant. "I know, darling. I know. And my joy is being able to see all of you beco stronger and growing. Mommy will work hard to give all of you a safe place to live in this hostile world."
Ignatia's eyes beca determined as imagery of the destruction of the colonies from past Ant Queens flashed in her mind. The anguish and wrath those Ant Queens felt during that ti gave origin to
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