Chapter 60: "Is that a healing ant?!"
This kid with no sense of management is going to blow everything on the first chance. Van Vil thought, surprised to see the boy ask for only 150 coins out of the 450 he was entitled to. Little Joe also requested that Van Vil invest the remainder of his coins in something that would bring him profit or, in the future, potential growth, which was more interesting to Joe.
With the coins distributed in his pockets, Little Joe, as eager as he was, couldn't wait to get to the market, with its large and small stalls full of delicious, interesting, and also expensive things.
But suddenly, he remembered something important and, as soon as he dismissed Van Vil, ran to the corner to check on the tiny chicken, the little "carin galinha," that he had left in a corner of the room and was now almost dead.
He gently pulled it out to avoid hurting it further and was shocked to see that it was covered in a green slime that seemed to be absorbed by its body.
Standing guard like loyal sentinels were the queen ant along with several worker ants.
"But what is this?" he thought as he touched the green slime with his finger and smelled it.
"Blergh!!"
That slime was so stinky that he vomited the little he had in his stomach.
"Crack and crunch! What a stinky mess is this?"
Obviously, the ants couldn't answer, so he began examining the little "carin galinha," as he should have done minutes ago.
"Per Joe!"
[Adversity Detector Ability detected multiple wounds caused by the devouring black ants (Comilus Tudus Black) on the feathered chick of Barin Bolinhus, the smallest chicken-like bird in the Dhaubania region.]
⬆️on 🐥📱🔍 [...'..'...'.'....'...'.'...'.'...'...'...'.'...'.'.]
[A deeper analysis detects a formidable procedure developed by the Dorylus Eflexos Mortalis ants, which not only stabilize the critical condition of the small bird but also accelerate cell and tissue regeneration, restoring 100% of its vitality in 96 hours.]
"So, that smelly stuff is medicine? Hey, Queen Florida, what kind of ant is this that you've never shown me?"
[System Alert! Detection of increased intelligence in🧠 +0.50%! Now you and the ant Florida can communicate in 25% intelligible form. Words must be clear and objective for you to receive an acceptable response.]
🐜[...Ant...Hea...ler...Lamaedas!]
"Wow! Healer ants? That's amazing! Can I add a few more for myself?"
🐜[Only...One.]
"Per Joe! How many micro ant screens can I create?"
[Since your intelligence increased by 0.50%, you can create 25 more micro ant screens.]
⬆️on 🖼️ Screen Creation 🔗 Connection Nvl 0.15% + ⬆️on 🧠➗ Intelligence Nvl 1+ =1.15%.
"It's a shame that the queen ant only released one healer ant, Lamaeda. But at least this one will evolve... It sure will." Little Joe smiled sneakily.
01 🦗Healer Ant Level 0.1 / 📏 2.5 cm / ⚖️ 2 grams. / 25x 🦾 = 50 grams. 🦗💨 0.35 m/s / 💚🌿 1.1 / ⭐⛏1 p/hr. / 😶
And asking for assistance from the Micro Subsystem Per Joe, he commanded:
"Little Lamaeda, you're in charge of fully restoring the health of this little Barin Bolinha
while I go shopping."
No sooner had he spoken than Queen Florida appeared, standing before him and frantically moving her little arms, seeming to show irritation due to the direct interaction of her worker with Little Joe.
He extended his hand toward her, and the enormous ant came walking strangely like a human.
Finally, he was at the market. Curiously, some of the stalls were arranged in a snail-like pattern, with side passages for people, and in the center of this formation were the most expensive items.
There were many people moving about, buying, selling, or trading. Yes, there was a distinction between the stalls. A little further ahead were the food stalls. It was a large market, offering a vast array of sweet, sour, or bitter fruits, as well as rare ones. A few meters ahead were stalls selling clothes, toys, and many other things.
However, what caught Little Joe's attention the most were the three small dwarf stalls. One sold metal stones of various densities. A little farther, another dwarf sold toy tools and weapons, all in miniature.
A little further still, the last dwarf, with an unfriendly face, was offering his services as a servant. Little Joe's eyes lit up because these three would be a great help for what he was planning. With his intelligence level surpassing level 1 a little, his mind already conceived some flashes of ideas that slowly took shape and suggested good results.
"Hello, good morning. What material is this stone, and how much does it cost? Can you tell me what it's used for?"
The dwarf responded with a dry "good morning," forgetting that Little Joe might be his best customer, and answered rudely:
"Why would a brat like you want to know anything about this stone if you're not going to buy it? Just get lost."
Little Joe didn't feel intimidated and, remembering the lessons the young Ylsean had taught him, simply tossed a bronze coin onto the surface of the small stall, making the dwarf even more irritated than before.
"You brat, do you think this stone here only costs that?"
"No, sir, I don't assume anything, which is why I'm asking and, accordingly, paying for the information. But if you think it's too little for what I'm paying for this information, then just name your price."
Before the dwarf could respond, a much taller and stronger boy than Little Joe appeared, interrupting the conversation.
"You're a brave kid, even though you're just a shrimp, messing with these deceiving dwarves who only sell junk. Look at this stone here. I bet he told you it's a metal stone. Do you really think that's metal?"
Little Joe just shrugged, as if to say he didn't know.
"I can break it with one bite," the bully stated as he grabbed the stone without even asking for permission and put it in his mouth to bite it.
Little Joe knew that boy and didn't like him at all. That was Rudi, who had beaten him up before and taken his goods when he was trying to earn his money honestly. The dwarf, despite his grumpy demeanor, didn't move and just watched the troublemaker, who, with the metal stone in his mouth, was trying to break it with one bite.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone