From A Stronghold Chrysalis

by Stayrr

Anthony has been reborn! Placed into the remarkable game-like world of Pangera. However, something seems a little off. What’s with these skills? Bite? Dig? Wait... I’ve been reborn as a WHAT! Follow Anthony as he attempts to adjust to his new life, to survive and grow in his new Dungeon home!

2. 33

Chrysalis #Chapter 33 A mutation sensation - Read Chrysalis Chapter 33 A mutation sensation Online - All Page - Novel Next

Chapter 33 A mutation sensation

Before the remains faded and were claimed by the Dungeon I was able to gain seven Biomass, an unprecedented harvest. This is due in part to the three new creature types I was able to get a bite of, gaining three bonus Biomass and then filling my stomachs with a further four points.

[Basic profile of the Scintillam Simiae unlocked]

[Basic profile of the Serpens Canis unlocked]

[Basic profile of the Lacertae Terram]

Combined with the two Biomass I had already saved I have a total of nine to spend. Wanting to mutate in peace and still nervous those hunters may return I move to my previously prepared nest, although I have to widen it a little to fit my now bulging backside through.

Once inside I take the extra time to cover over the opening before spending my Biomass.

My intention had been to upgrade my eyes to 5, firstly to maintain my superiority in vision over the monsters in this area but also to see what the system would do once I mutated to level five.

Skills advance at level five and my hunch is that my body parts might also.

[Do you wish to improve eyes to 5? This will cost five Biomass]

I'm nervous for this...

... yes.

[At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

Instead of the painful itch I was expecting the gruff but soothing tones of Gandalf ring in my mind once more.

Aha! So level five is a significant milestone after all! As it should be! I've spent fifteen Biomass on my eyesight now! Reward me more!

Once Gandalf has finished speaking a long list of possible eyesight upgrades appears within my mind. Seriously there is so much to choose from?! Heat sensitive vision, motion sensitive vision, mana vision, see through vision?!

Holy crap some of these sound awesome!

It takes me quite a while to sort through the list, consulting Gandalf who is able to elaborate on what each of the options does before I'm able to finalise my selection.

Despite how tempting some of the options are (Being able to see through stuff sounds pretty damn useful!) I eventually take a slightly more mundane option that will nonetheless cover a weakness and enhance a strength.

Focused compound vision.

I was very pleased when Gandalf explained what this particular mutation does as it was something I'd wanted for a while now.

If you think of the compound eyes that an insect has, rather than having one, large and strong pair of eyes that you can move around, compound eyes are hundreds of individual eyes that are always watching the same area but cannot move.

As I've mentioned before, this gives me a fantastic advantage of being able to watch almost every angle at once, especially since upgrading my eyes has caused them to extend further from my head, almost allowing to see backwards without turning around.

But my compound eyes are not as strong at focusing long distances as a humans.

However this mutation will help cover that weakness. Essentially, For each of my eyes a small section of compound eyes will gain the ability to focus further away, giving me a small field of vision that can see a long distance. I still can't move my eyes so to shift this field of vision I'll have to actually move my entire head, but with this upgrade I'll be able to take the best of both worlds, long distance focus, combined with surroundings awareness.

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Joyfully I confirm my selection with Gandalf.

OH GOD!

I FORGOT THE ITCH!

Starting deep inside my head and then boiling forward is the sharpest and most painful itch I could possibly imagine. Worse than anything before by a hundredfold.

I'm being stabbed!

Needled!

MY DAMN EYES!!!!!

Fgarp!

I'm reduced to flopping about on the ground madly scrabbling with my legs but nothing helps.

And it goes on.

And on.

And on.

Before finally it stops.

[Would you like to advance your Acid to 4? This will cost four Biomass]

NOOOOOOO... yes.

GODDAMIT.

Not nearly as bad but still horrible is the acid mutation. Since upgrading to 5 gives such incredible benefits I want to advance everything to this level as quickly as possible, since acid is already at 3 and doubles as my primary weapon at this stage, I'll prioritise it first.

[Be aware, at your current stage of evolution you can longer advance your eyes]

Hmm. So until I actually manage to evolve myself I won't be able to any of my mutations past 5 eh? Fair enough, with only two more levels I'll be able to evolve, I'd like to think it won't take that long.

Having spent all of my Biomass I decide to stay in hiding and train my Mana Manipulation once again, expending all of my mana in small puffs out of my mouth and completely draining my mental energy once again.

However I am rewarded for my efforts!

[Mana Manipulation has reached level 3]

I immediately open my status to admire my progress.

Name: Anthony

Level: 3 (core)

Might: 15

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Toughness: 12

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 30

MP: 12

Skills: Digging level 5; Improved Acid Shot Level 2; Grip Level 4; Crushing Bite Level 1; Advanced Stealth Level 3; Chomp level 1; Tunnel sense Level 4; Mana Manipulation level 3

Mutations: Focused Eyes 5, Antennae 2, Acid 4, Legs 1, Mandibles 2, Carapace 1

Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)

Skill points: 0

Biomass: 0

With my mana expended and my mutations complete I'll rest here for the time being before making any further moves. With the addition of these human monster hunters this area is even more dangerous than I thought it would be, I have make sure I maintain my best condition.

When I eventually awake my mana has restored four points and I've digested a good amount of the food I'd eaten.

Poking my head out of my chamber I don't spy any humans or combat so I emerge fully and take a look around with my newly upgraded eyes.

Whoa... This may take some getting used to...

The center of my vision contains a small space that almost feels like a zoomed in view compared to the areas of vision around it... and it isn't like the more long sighted areas blur into the lesser ones, there is a clear marked distinction between them, which makes sense since the upgrade has essentially improved a small set of my compound eyes and the compound eyes don't really overlap in what they are looking at.

As I turn my head the zoomed in area sweeps across, always remaining in the center of my vision.

Gosh, it's a little hard to keep track of, having two different tiers of eyesight. Having said that, I'm still extremely pleased with my choice, I'll just have to adapt quickly. With this enhanced section of vision I can easily scan the opposite side of the lake and inspect the creatures on the other side, I can even see the Titan-Croc is still lazing about over there, probably sleeping.

I also quickly look about to see if any ants from my colony have made their way to the lake only to be disappointed. Still no sign of them.

Sigh.

Whilst I'm here I'll drink from the lake to restore my MP faster and then decide what to do next.

I'm not as inclined to stay here now, since I now that there are human hunters about who can rain fire down on me at any moment. I'd also like to gain XP and evolve as quickly as possible. With the added stats and strength from my evolution my chances of survival as well as my ability to gain Biomass will go up, hopefully by a lot!

With that done I'll feel a lot more confident following the pheromone trail into the forest to track down my colony.

Gaining information is probably the most important thing right now, as well as hunting for prey.

It might seem like an odd decision but I think I'll go and find the humans camp before I do anything else.

Since they are the most dangerous thing around here it may seem strange to want to rush towards them, but in reality, since they are so dangerous I want to know where they are and what they are doing.

With my new upgrades I can spot them from a much greater distance than I could before, otherwise I wouldn't take this course of action.

Not sure what I'll do once I find them to be honest, but at the very least I'll be aware of the location of the threat.

Ok! It's decided! Onward, to the human camp!

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Chapter 34 Camping ou

Moving with extreme caution I move away from the lake. I'm fair game out here and there are many monsters who would love a slice of this delectable pie.

In the war for survival stealth is still my most powerful weapon.

I've been able to gather quite a bit of Biomass, probably more than usual for a creature of my level, by operating as a scavenger, picking up the rewards when others have done the dirty work, but unfortunately this doesn't work very well for XP.

With the exception of the completely bizarre battle between the Dragon Wolf pack and the centipedes, I've had to carefully pick and choose my prey in order to get XP and that remains the case.

It would be nice if, on this trip I can successfully carry out a hunt on my own and defeat my opponent one on one.

I need the confidence as much as the XP, I won't be able to stumble across wounded opponents forever.

Keeping myself as hidden as possible I dart from cover to cover, keeping all of my senses sharp.

After that last stomach full I've returned to full HP and my antennae is showing no signs of the extensive damage it endured during my last fight, thankfully my leg had healed long ago.

This forest really is strange, it feels like every time I turn a corner I see something weird I hadn't seen before, like this bright orange fern looking thing. The tip of every branch has a thin tendril of an almost weblike materiel hanging down to the ground.

Won't be touching those!

Out of curiosity I flip a stone using my mandibles towards that plant but nothing happens. My wariness doesn't totally dissipate though. It's possible the plant will only react when something organic touches it.

Instead of standing about eyeing off a fern I keep moving.

I come across a few different creatures as I move in the general direction I saw the hunters leave in, a large pack of small, ape like creatures were congregating around a particularly large tree. I give those guys a wide berth.

If only I had the support of more of my kind! Seeing these large groups of smaller monsters really gets me down for some reason.

I also saw a few Dragon Wolf cubs on the prowl, yet another group I couldn't take on.

Feeling a bit stifled by my inability to find something I can fight I decide to do something I wasn't able to do before.

Climb a tree to scout around!

Finding a nice looking tree I use my claws and the potency of my Grip skill to swiftly make my way up and have a look about.

Ohhhh. I can see so much further now! Behold the power of my improved eyes!

Ah!

I can see a hill in the distance and there are a few shapes on it, possibly tents? This could be the camp of the five hunters...

I shall investigate!

With my destination in mind I continue to snoop about while making my way towards that distant camp.

I don't want to start any combat whilst those hunters are about, if they come over to investigate I'm going to be really dead, really fast.

Eventually I make my way to the foot of the hill and start to take things very slowly, darting from cover to cover and avoiding any sound or sign of monsters.

About half way up I can make out the shape of the human hunters at the top of the hill. They appear to sitting in a circular shape on stones and bits of wood they've put together as chairs. Possibly they are sitting around a fire pit or cookpot?

I can see three separate tents arranged in a semicircle around their seating area, a few large back packs are strewn about the place along with some monster remains they've been able to hold onto somehow.

A line has been strung across two poles and at first I think they are hanging their clothes from it but when I stare a little harder I realise they are monster hides hung up to dry.

Clearly this group is here to hunt monsters and take cores and materials back to the surface for profit.

I settle into a good position and decide to watch them.

Now that I've identified where camp is I have a crazy idea forming in my mind.

Patience is a virtue to the monster, this is almost the first instruction in my creed.

After a few hours the humans stand and begin to gather equipment, preparing to head out once more. As I watch they strap on their armour, check the edge on their blades and banter back and forth.

Then something interesting happens, as a group they step out of the camp and once they are about ten metres away they all pause whilst the mage concentrates and prepares her staff. Once again she focuses for an extended period, runes appearing and rotating around the head of her staff before she taps the foot of the staff against the ground.

Immediately a few stones I hadn't noticed before flare around the outskirts of the camp glow brightly for just a moment before dimming again.

Once this has been completed the group moves away from the camp, heading towards the lake once more.

It seems they are just farming the lake, ambushing the unsuspecting monsters who have gathered, then returning here to wait until the lake has gathered together the monsters once again.

Fairly efficient way to slay monsters I suppose.

Just to be sure I shadow the group until I'm certain they are heading towards the lake, then I double back and head towards their camp.

You guys must have harvested a lot of monster cores eh?

Be a shame if something were to ... Happen to them...

Gweheheheheh.

I'm very wary of the spell that was cast as they left however. I'm sure that if I walked towards their camp an alarm would go off or I'd be melted on the spot or something equally horrible.

There is no way I'm walking over that barrier.

I'm willing to try going *under* it though.

Behold! The power of Level 5 dig!

Working furiously, I start to dig with all of my might. I probably have a little over hour if we account the time to travel to the lake and back, as well the time to fight and scavenge. Plenty of time to dig myself a small tunnel.

My mandibles work at lightning speed, empowered by my Dig skill I can shift a surprising amount of dirt with each chomp and it isn't long until I'm dug under the magic boundary and into the camp.

Muahahahaha!

Curious, but aware that I don't' have that much time I start to poke my nose into the tents to inspect the stuff. More bags and goods meet my eyes, it appears the mage and another member of the group are sharing one of these tents together.

I can see some food supplies stored in a bag but that isn't what I'm looking for. Using my mandibles I grab the bags one my one and try to shake them open, like an angry dog.

I don't' have hands! How am I supposed to open them?!

After ten minutes of shaking and tearing at their bags I manage to find what I'm looking for. Buried in the bottom of one back was a smaller leather sack sealed with a drawstring pulled tight.

Not tight enough to stop these chompers!

After I puncture a whole in the bag the precious wealth spills out in front my eyes.

[Compatible monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]

Nice monster cores you have here guys... As they say finders keepers!

They have over twenty monster cores here in this bag and I start absorbing them one after another. After I take my fourth one Gandalf throws water on my burning joy.

[Monster core has reached capacity for your current stage of evolution].

Dammit Gandalf!

There are still seventeen monster cores left here! How could you do this to me! Despite running out of time I can't help but agonise over the incredible bounty before me.

Eventually, I push the cores together using my claws and try to scoop up as many as possible in my mandibles. Due to how cumbersome my jaws are and how small the cores are, I'm only able to grab four.

Although my heart is bleeding it will have to do.

Retreat!

Like a thief in the night I scamper away with my treasure, crawling through my tunnel and then running down the hill and back into the forest.

I don't go too far until I find a particularly large tree and dig a deep hole in an area shielded by the exposed roots. Inside I bury my pirates gold and carefully conceal my handiwork.

Hopefully I'll be able to come back for these after I've evolved...

Good thing I can't smile, otherwise my face would hurt. What a haul! Thanks, you stupid humans!

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Chapter 35 On the hunt for XP

Now I have even more reason to try and level up quickly so I can evolve. Once I've been able to do that I can reclaim those monster cores and use them to reinforce my own.

The longer they stay buried the more nervous I'll be that they'll get discovered, either by the humans using some magical means I'm not aware of or perhaps another monster will sniff them out somehow.

I have to evolve, I have to do it now!

First I have to find something I can hunt. Too many creatures are still beyond my means to fight, even though I've come a long way in many areas I still haven't gained too much combat strength. My heavy Biomass investment in my eyes doesn't directly increase combat strength, nor does a lot of my skills, or even my reinforced monster core that now stores 20 MP.

I can feel the monster core within, burning away with more intensity than ever before. It's also definitely increased in size. It almost feels like having a burning stone in your gut, but in a nice way.

Kinda...

It doesn't really matter though since I can't use my MP to do anything useful at the moment. Hopefully once my Mana Manipulation skill has reached level five I might be able to purchase new skills to unleash my magic potential.

For now I'll have to make do with my acid and my mandibles.

I do have a target in mind, at the very least, I know I can probably fight them and I know they are somewhere nearby.

It will be difficult though, they never fight fair.

Centipedes...

Back at the lake I saw a large tangle of the basic Claw Centipedes. If I can find a small group of two, possibly three, I may be able to take them on my own.

I'll have to be careful that none of the larger, evolved centipedes are anywhere around, I'm certain that those could crush me easily.

Having decided on a course of action I make my way back to the lake in a wide circle, I do *not* want to run into those hunters, even though I wish I could see their faces when they get back to camp... Heheheh.

I manage to sneak back to the lake and appear essentially on the opposite side to where the hunters had been fighting, close to where the Titan-Croca is still chilling.

What is with this guy? Doesn't he need to go out and hunt? It's possible he already has, I suppose, whilst I was away. This guy seems to spend a massive amount of time relaxing regardless.

Luckily for me there is another pile of centipedes at the lake right now. Seriously, I hate the way these creatures pile on top of each other, constantly twisting and turning and they look like they're trying to tie themselves into a knot.

Moving around the gigantic Croc I move to the water and get a few sips in, filling my mana back up to full whilst I wait for the centipedes to move.

After perhaps an hour the pile almost spontaneously disentangles itself and the centipedes streak away from the lake at full speed, all headed in the same direction.

Caught by surprise I almost lose sight of the horrible things before I start running after them.

These guys are seriously moving!

Thankfully I don't' have to stay quite as close to keep a good eye on them as I did before. I'm a bit nervous though, moving at this pace it's basically impossible to stay hidden from anything nearby. Those damn centipedes may be moving in a big pack but I'm not!

Thankfully we don't have to travel far before we come to raised mound in the forest. The mound is about two metres high and there are several holes around the outside. Almost without slowing down the bustling caravan of centipedes I've been following dive into the mound and disappear almost instantly, leaving behind an eerie silence.

Ooookay.

I guess I've found their nest?

Keeping a safe distance I circle around the nest, especially watching the holes. Thankfully I don't see any that seem particularly large, so there may not be any of the massive, evolved centipedes here. I'll have to stay careful, just in case one shows up.

I try to keep an eye on the nest and the forest at the same time, it's possible a hunting party could return to the nest from behind me at any time, so I have to be cautious.

After doing a full circle, I think the mound is probably five metres in diameter but I suspect that the nest itself extends underground. At least eight centipedes are in there already and I'm guessing there are actually much more than that.

Just imagining the vile tangle of legs and claws inside that nest gives me the heaves. I hate these things.

Which is exactly why I'm going to hunt them.

The next step is to wait. I don't plan to dive into the nest and trash the joint, getting myself immediately eaten. I'll bide my time until a smaller group leaves, either to visit the lake or to hunt. The odds will be against me but I'm hoping that in a two on one or a three on one situation I'll still be able to take them out, thanks to my human intellect and superior mutations.

I find a vantage point up a tree where I can remain perfectly still , maximising my stealth bonus and keep an eye on the nest. When my target number of centipedes leave, I'll be ready.

Yep.

Any minute now.

...

Do something you stupid bugs!

After a few hours of waiting there has been absolutely no action from this mound. What the heck are they doing in there? Actually, don't answer that.

Ten minutes later I get excited when I hear a noise but then I realise that a group of six centipedes is returning to the nest from the forest. Dammit!

After that a group of five head out towards the lake.

Then a group of seven head out to hunt.

Then nothing.

Then those two groups come back.

Then nothing.

Are you teasing me you idiot centipedes?! How scared are you?

Just when I'm about to burst with frustration a group of four clamber out of the mound, claws clacking, before they group up and move into the forest in single file.

Chance!

I'm too impatient to sit in this tree for days, waiting for the perfect opportunity. It doesn't seem like these guys are going to move in anything smaller than a group of four so I'll have to take this fight, even if it's a worse situation than I'd anticipated.

I carefully make my way down my tree and give chase. Thankfully the targets are not moving at their full speed as they move a little carefully, scanning for prey and trying not to attract too much attention.

I'll have to wait until they get further from the nest before I make a move. The last thing I want is to get swarmed by reinforcements.

The other thing I worry about as I tail along behind the convoy of disgusting legs is whether I should attack before they find their prey or wait and hope to battle a weakened enemy as they make their way back to their nest.

Normally you'd think that waiting would be best but my concern is that if I wait this group of centipedes will lose and all be finished off by a stronger monster, one that I won't be able to tangle with. If that were to happen then I would get completely nothing.

No. I have to take the more difficult path and fight the four of them before they encounter any other monster.

Having made my decision I don't hesitate and start to execute my strategy.

Accelerating quickly I move to a flanking position. The four centipedes are moving together in a line on my left. Remaining hidden from them I hurry forward, trying to get a little in front of them.

Ok, in position. Take careful aim...

POW.

Acid flies through the air in a powerful burst, launched directly from my business sector.

It isn't easy to hit a moving target at this range but my skills have stood me in good stead and the first shot connects nicely on the leading centipede.

The creature screeches to a halt and begins writhing on the ground whilst those following behind cluster around and fiercely clack their claws at the surrounding forest.

POW.

Second shot is launched directly from my commercial district and connects with another centipede who joins his ally rolling about on the ground, trying to minimise the damage from the sizzling liquid.

At this point I turn to face my opponents and start viciously clacking my mandibles, stepping into the clear to reveal my position.

Come at me!

Chapter 36 Battle! For Darwin!

It doesn't take long for the two uninjured Claw Centipedes to notice my provocation. Seeing a lone hatchling ant they are unafraid and charge towards me with all of the speed their many legs can muster!

Just as I'd hoped.

As soon as they approach I turn and run away, but not too far.

I speed directly to a tree I'd spotted earlier and upon reaching, grasp tightly with my claws and scale directly up!

The two enraged centipedes begin their ascent just behind me, clacking and snapping at my heels. In the distance their two injured allies are recovering and beginning to make their way towards us.

I turn my head slightly to eyeball the frenzied monster climbing the tree directly behind me?

Getting a good look are you centipede?

Maybe you shouldn't be quite so close to what some of my enemies have come to know as the Business Zone!

POW!

Point blank acid jets directly into the centipedes face!

The monster instantly shrieks and drops off the tree, rolling in the dirt at the base.

That leaves only healthy centipede on the tree with me. One on one. Ant to ... Gross bug thing.

The tree gives me a slight advantage in that the most deadly weapon of the centipede, the poison stinger, will be much more difficult to use here. I'm not sure they can support their bodies on this vertical surface if they were to let go with enough legs to bring the spike overhead.

Which means this will be a claws vs mandibles showdown.

The remaining foe continues to charge upwards, claws pinching and clacking as it advances towards me. The claws on this one seem a little larger than usual, must have mutated them, dang it.

Nonetheless I brace myself to meet the beast head on.

For a few seconds we nip back and forth, one advancing, the other retreating. I dart forward suddenly, but I lose my footing! A slight stumble at the critical moment!

There is triumph in the eyes of my foe, triumph and a burning rage!

The centipede lunges forward with fangs and claws, ready to deal the knockout blow.

When it strikes, it hits nothing but empty air.

Aha! The perfect feint!

My acting skill is over 9000, dumb centipede!

As the centipede attacks I wait till the last moment and then withdraw, my grip skill and strong legs giving me the perfect control on this battlefield.

Once the centipede is overcommitted I lunge forward with my mandibles wide open. Receive the bite of my raaaaaaaage.

Once again my mandibles glow and close with extreme crushing force. Empowered by the chomp skill the bite easily splinters the carapace, crushing the centipedes head completely. Lifelessly it falls from the tree.

[You have defeated level 3 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

One down, three to go.

Thankfully the remaining, injured prey are not dissuaded by my display of insect dominance and continue to attack. In their simple minds this is still a three on one and the enemy is only a single ant. They charge up the tree together, each on a separate side.

This isn't good!

Scrabbling for grip I shift myself out onto a branch, moving away from the trunk. At all costs I mustn't get surrounded!

This branch isn't thick enough to allow for a stable grip, it's almost all I can do to hang on properly. Thankfully only one enemy is able to join me on this branch, his injured allies remain circling the main trunk hissing at me.

Slowly my new dance partner creeps out on the branch, claws held at the ready. It's only then that start to worry about our weight.

CRACK.

Just ruddy perfect Gandalf...

As the branch lurches the centipede and I are both rocked on our feet. But I recover first. Have at you centipede! Once more my mandibles stretch wide and crunch shut on a centipedes head, however this time I'm unable to deal fatal damage.

SNAP.

The branch breaks clean off the tree, sending me freefalling with a monstrous centipede trapped in my mandibles.

Twisting my body I use my momentum to swing the creature down into the ground before I land with a sickening thud.

Gah!

I think I broke something... I landed heavily on my side, but thankfully I was able to protect my legs. Quickly back on your feet Anthony! No time to daze out! Shaking off the impact I scramble my legs beneath me and zero in on the centipede who fell with me. Unable to protect itself when it fell it seems to have ruined several legs upon landing. Seizing the initiative I dash forward and finish it off with another bite.

[You have slain level 2 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

Two centipedes left.

The remaining foes are feeling less certain of themselves now, but they've little choice but to fight, since they have to come down the tree to escape anyway. From the way they move I can tell they want to come at me together and I'm not sure there is much I do about it.

Fingers and mandibles crossed, this is where it gets tough.

Moving cautiously the remaining foes descend the tree, claws raised to attack at the first sign of movement. For my part I watch every movement carefully, waiting for the correct moment.

Both centipedes reach the ground at the same time. I turn and run.

Flee!

The sight of my rapid escape seems to bewilder my enemies for a moment before they are seized with the desire to hunt and begin running after me with all of their strength.

Fools.

POW!

One more acid blast is unleashed when they close in on me, scalding and eating away at the closest pursuer.

Haha! Didn't expect me to recharge a shot in that time did you? Thankfully you guys are dumb enough to fall for the same trick twice!

Whilst the unlucky centipede tries to cope with his second dose of 4 acid the other shapes up to do battle. I've been able to create another one on one situation and I need to finish it before the other enemy recovers and joins the fray.

I decide to make a risky play. I don't want to drag out this fight and give my opponents the chance to bring their dreaded stingers into play, it's the only thing that could finish me in one strike.

My foe draws near carefully, feinting and posturing with jaws and claws.

I charge directly at it with full speed.

Bring it oooooooooooon!

The startled centipede reacts swiftly, snapping forward with its claws and grabbing hold of a leg with one and gouging a scrape in my face with the other. But my momentum isn't to be denied.

With my larger and more powerful mandibles I dive forward and as I crash into my enemy I attack once more with my fearsome Crushing Bite.

[Chomp has reached level 2]

The centipede frantically tears at me with its claws, inflicting damage but it isn't enough.

Crushing Bite!

[You have defeated level 3 Claw centipede]

[You have gained XP]

The final centipede has suffered greatly from my two acid attacks and isn't able to put up much of a fight. I finish it quickly with a few more bites and the sweet tones of Gandalf ring in my ears once more.

[You have defeated level 2 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

[You have reached level 4. One skill point awarded]

I did it.

Victory!

I have triumphed over the hated foe. Four versus one and you still couldn't get it done you worthless crawlers! Haha!

I perform the best victory dance I can with my injured legs.

Checking my HP I've been reduced to 20 but I'm not too worried. After consuming this Biomass I'll be back up to full or close to it.

Speaking of which, these disgusting grubs aren't going eat themselves.

After consuming the lot of them, I had to take a break in the middle, I manage to gain four Biomass and something else unexpected.

[You have unlocked the intermediate profile: Claw Centipede]

I've finally consumed enough of these things to open up the intermediate profile eh?

Well, that is secondary. My primary concern is that I've successfully reached level four. Only one more level and I'll be able to evolve, finally! It's so close I can almost taste it!

I have to make plans.

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Chapter 37 I hunt, therefore I ant.

I climb back up into a tree and hide amongst the foliage whilst I formulate my next moves. Making things more difficult was my fat abdomen but after some sustained effort I got up there.

Ok then, the first thing to worry about is what to do with my skill point. I could upgrade Digging immediately, or I could wait, hold onto the skill point in case I buy something interesting once Mana Manipulation reaches level five.

After considering for a while I decide to ahead and upgrade Digging. After all, what sort of ant doesn't prioritise being able to dig!

[Digging - Excavating. cost 1 sp: Increases the ability to shift large amounts of material in a shorter span of time]

Purchase!

If I need to save a skill point I can always keep the next one. I don't think I'll be able to max out Mana Manipulation before I level up again, after all, I'm going to keep on hunting centipedes until I get it.

Once I've evolved I'll feel a lot more confident following the trail back to the colony. Not to mention I can go and absorb those hidden monster cores.

Now the Biomass... Four is such an awkward number! Just one more and I'd be able to take my acid to 5! But using it all now and I could upgrade my mandibles to 4...

Arggh!

In the end I decide to upgrade my mandibles right away. That last fight wasn't so one sided that feel completely confident going into the next one without any real improvement to my fighting ability.

[Do you wish to improve Mandibles to 4? This will cost 4 Biomass]

Go ahead Gandalf!

My face is immediately on fire.

Just ... Why?

When the mutation is finally done my mandibles have become slightly larger and more menacing looking. These chompers are getting more and more potent all the time!

What sort of upgrade will I be able to get at 5? I can hardly wait. With my Biomass spent and my skill points used I'm almost ready for action. All I need to do is what for my digestion to kick in so I don't look like I'm dragging an expanded sack behind me as I move.

Whilst I wait I practice my Mana Manipulation a few more times, leaving myself gasping with something of a headache. I feel like it's getting a little easier to move my mana about but not much.

Since I'm already fairly well hidden up here I may as well take a quick nap to get myself back to full fighting shape.

I awake several hours later, ready for round two.

I carefully make my way back to the centipede mound and once again take up my scouting position high in my tree. If I spend any more time up trees I'm going to into a weaver ant. Those ants bend leaves and stick them together to create a nest.

I'll stick to digging.

For now though I play the waiting game. There doesn't seem to be much action, certainly no response that would suggest the members of this colony are upset that four of their number have gone missing. I would guess that it isn't unusual that occasionally a hunting group would disappear, never to return.

After waiting patiently for several hours and watching a few groups leave and a few others return another contingent of four departs the mound and makes their way towards the lake.

Oh ho!

Going for drink of that sweet, sweet mana water eh? I hope you enjoy that drink. For it shall be your last!

After the four targets have moved a good distance away I follow along behind them. I'm not too worried about keeping close to this group, since they are only heading to the lake I don't need to worry about them being killed hunting.

I'll set up an ambush and take on this group when they leave the lake.

Following along the trail I choose a large tree with a good view of the path the centipedes have taken, I want to see them coming, and I prepare to lie in wait.

Whilst I wait I decide to take a look at the intermediate profile of the Claw Centipede. Perhaps it has some useful information?

[Unguibus Scolopendra : Claw centipede, has strong claws and a venomous spike in its tail.

Might: 11

Toughness: 14

Cunning: 8

Will: 7]

Huh, so those are the base stats of the centipede? The might and the toughness are quite similar to mine but the cunning and the will are completely in the tank. I shouldn't be too surprised I suppose. I doubt every hatchling ant has a cunning as high as 25. My guess is that my high cunning stat is the system assigning a value to my human intellect.

This is my real trump card. Without my ability to reason and make planned decisions I would have been dead long ago. Not to mention I can easily exploit other monsters with extremely poor smarts.

About an hour later my patience is rewarded, the four centipedes are returning, once again moving in single file.

Ah, another visitor? Stay awhile! Stay FOREVER!

POW!

With my steady position and aim bonus there is no way I would miss a long centipede moving in a straight line. The arcing stream of acid lands accurately along the targets back. A perfect hit.

The centipedes are immediately enraged, posturing fiercely around their thrashing comrade.

POW!

Another direct hit! One more centipede is sent thrashing on the ground as they experience the terrible burning of my potent acid.

With two shots discharged I make my position known to the remaining healthy centipedes. Fiercely clacking my mandibles and waving my antennae at them provocatively.

Just like before, the horrible crawlers are completely provoked, rushing forward to consume this pesky ant.

As they reach the trunk of the tree they grasp hold with their many legs and start climbing, directly into my third shot!

POW!

Yet another centipede has received my acidic blessing! The unfortunate victim tumbles out of the tree,

So far the plan is working just as well as it did last time!

Only one target remains on the tree with me. Just like before use my incredible acting skill to feint a slip and the centipede completely falls for it, allowing me to deal a decisive chomp!

Although I don't quite manage to deal fatal damage with this bite the cracked carapace and distorted shape of the monsters head are telling of just powerful that attack was.

Hissing in pain the centipede lashes out, catching a glancing blow on my head with its claws before I close in and deliver the finishing crushing bite!

[You have defeated Level 1 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

One down, three wounded to go.

Checking my status quickly as the remaining centipedes approach the tree I see I've only taken one damage so far.

Good to go!

The three centipedes charge up the trunk together but this time I don't head out to a branch. I still don't want to be surrounded however so I undertake another risky manoeuvre.

When a centipede is directly before me I directly let go of the tree.

Unable to react fast enough the centipedes can only watch as I directly crash into one of their number, biting wildly with Crushing Bite as I fall.

My victim and I both fall directly out of the tree, grappling and biting at each other before we hit the ground with a thump!

Desperately scrabbling to avoid the poisonous stinger I use my momentum to roll away and back onto my feet.

My opponent is still scrabbling back to its feet so I charge as fast as I can and attack with my mandibles.

Crushing Bite!

The mysterious white energy empowers my jaws as I crunch down with all of my strength.

[Crushing Bite has reached level 2]

[You have defeated level 4 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

And then there were two!

Now for the tricky bit. The remaining two centipedes stick together as they descend the tree. I don't quite feel like I have another acid shot in the tank yet, this is going to have to be done up close and personal.

As soon as they reach the ground the two monsters split apart and threaten me from two sides, thankfully it isn't hard to watch both of them at the same time. The advantages of compound eyes are showing now!

Not willing to give away the initiative I turn and charge towards the creature on my left.

The centipede rears back, threatening me with claws and jaws as I approach.

Then I stop.

Then I turn and charge in the other direction!

The monster who had been behind me froze in surprise. As I'd charged at its ally it had immediately raised up its rear section, revealing the deadly poison spike at the tip of its tail. The sneaky git had thought to creep up behind me as I was distracted, not so easy chump!

After hesitating a beat the centipede strikes forward with its tail, the stinger plunging toward me at lightning speed!

I'd been waiting for this!

Predicting the move I dig my claws into the ground and leap to the side, letting the deadly tail pass by my left side. Before the monster can recover and draw its tail back for another strike I turn and bite with all of my strength.

Carapace cracks and crunches under my force and the centipede hissing with rage. That tail is now useless.

Seeing the other opponent approaching behind me I waste no time and leap directly at the injured foe, taking injuries from its furiously grasping claws. Shrugging off the pain I deliver the final blow with another bite.

[You have defeated Level 3 Claw centipede]

[You have gained XP]

And now it's one on one.

Unwilling to give the final monster time to raise its poison sting I grit my mandibles against my wounds and charge directly at it. A quick status check shows that I still have half of my HP left.

Easily enough to finish this!

No tricks.

The centipede and I charge and rip into each other, mandibles crashing, claws scraping and grasping on carapace.

But my opponent is no match for my superior mutations and skills.

[You have defeated level 2 Claw centipede]

[You have gained XP]

Finally! Not enough to get level five, but at least another four Biomass has been secured.

That one was hard, I've been reduced to ten HP. Dents, scratches and cracks cover my poor carapace.

Can't waste a second, have to eat!

[You have gained one Biomass]

Om nom nom.

[You have gained one Biomass]

Wait, what is that sound?

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Chapter 38 Rudely Interrupted

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to fight and eat here, directly on the path the entire centipede nest takes to get the lake.

Before my despairing eyes another five centipedes are approaching, wriggling along in single file through the forest on their way to the lake.

When they see me, mouth full of dead centipede, they don't even break stride and immediately charge.

Hey! Let's take it easy fellas! Any chance we can discuss this? A peaceful resolution is always the best way forward, yes?

We can agree that I have eaten those of your kind, those are the facts. But can't we also agree that we are part of the circle of life? That all things are both predator, and prey?

Didn't think so.

Run!

I turn and fire off a quick acid shot, spraying across the leading centipedes' hideous maw before I bolt into the forest. How the heck am I going to deal with five centipedes? I've only recovered about half my HP! This isn't good, not good at all!

Any help Gandalf?

...

Damn you and your incredible pipe smoking skills Gandalf!

I could potentially make a break for the lake, it's possible they wouldn't fight me there, but being as injured as I am there isn't any guarantee that I'd be able to outpace them.

I'll have to fight this one out, and there is no way I can fight fair!

As I run through the forest I look around frantically for something I can use. Eventually I see a large tree with a wide trunk.

Before my opponents can gain on my I run around the back of the trunk, breaking their line of sight and haul myself up the tree as fast as I can.

Gogogogo Anthony pump those little ant legs!

Not far behind me the five centipedes arrive at the tree, the one I'd hit with acid lagging a little behind. They immediately start to climb after me.

I climb as fast as I can and then out onto the thickest branch I can find still low to the ground,

before I turn and wait to see what the enemy will do.

When the centipedes see where I am they continue to charge out onto the branch, one of them crawling along the bottom the bough and the other on the top.

Just before they reach me I let go, throwing myself down to the ground.

Landing with a thud, I push myself back up and quickly check on the centipede response.

Unwilling to jump after me they start to backtrack and climb back down.

The centipede closest to the ground, far behind his allies is the one I've hit with acid. As soon as his head is in reach I dash forward and bite!

[You have defeated a level 3 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

One down.

Now run!

As the rest of the centipedes make their down the tree I flee, trying to obscure my fleeing form by running through foliage and behind trees.

When I find a particularly dense area of vegetation I dive into and then remain perfectly still. My best chance now is to let my advanced stealth do some work!

The rest of the centipedes aren't far behind me, but they haven't been able to see where I went.

The four of them move past me in a group, their own antennae patting about on the ground and their claws snapping angrily as they move.

A centipede has drawn within five metres of me but I don't dare to move. I barely breathe. If they spot me I'll get ripped to shreds! Please centipedes... stay stupid!

Without any sign of me they split up, scouting around to try and find me. One scurries off to my left, another to my right and one heads back towards the tree. One centipede remains here, scratching around trying to get my scent or some sign of my passage.

In a one on one battle I don't fear these monsters at all!

The clueless creature continues to search the area, turning this way and that as it attempts to locate me.

Once it turns its back to me I start to creep out of my hiding place.

Moving closer.

And closer.

And then I strike! Suddenly leaping forward I deliver a ferocious bite to the tail! I have to remove the chance of getting stung with this damn thing!

The centipede reacts slowly and I deliver a second bite to the tail, shattering the carapace and rendering it useless.

[Chomp has reached level 3]

Holding onto the tail I drag the centipede toward me, keeping away from its claws to deliver another bite behind the head, finishing it off.

[You have slain level 1 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

Still not level five?! Argh!

Still, from five centipedes down to three!

Desperate to regenerate my health I start eating as quickly as I can. Rather than being weighed down with Biomass my precipitously low HP is of far more concern.

Thankfully I'm not interrupted before finishing off the meal.

[You have gained Biomass]

Quickly checking I see my health has recovered to 16. Better than nothing!

With the centipedes split up and their numbers diminishing I feel a lot more confident. If possible I want to finish them all off, I might gain enough XP to reach level five and finally evolve.

I've managed to regenerate possibly two acid shots whilst eating, increasing my options. You want to try and hunt me? You foolish centipedes... you will all be my prey!

Chuckling to myself I head towards the left of my previous hiding place and it isn't long before I encounter the monster who had headed that way returning after a fruitless search.

Looking for me pal? I was here all along!

As soon as the beast gains sight of me it hisses, clacking its claws in rage before it charges, directly into my b-zone!

BAM!

Acid directly into the face!

The creature releases a horrible shriek of pain but I won't let it off, pouncing directly into its claws to deliver the finishing bites.

[You have defeated level 4 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

The voice of Gandalf is still ringing in my head when I pause for a moment.

Did I see somethi-

Oh heck!

In a very un-antlike move I hurl myself to the side and roll as a vicious tail spike plunges through the air where I'd just been. Another of the centipedes returned whilst I tangled with the my foe!

With its surprise attack having failed though there is no hope for this monster. Regaining my feet I charge directly forward, not giving it a chance to position its tail for another strike. Leveraging my larger mandibles I go directly for the head, chomping down twice to finish it off.

[You have defeated level 2 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

[You have reached level 5]

[You have reached the level cap, evolution menu available]

Oh yeeeeeeeeees!

It's finally here!

Once again I do the best happy dance an ant can manage. Mind you, with six legs I can really get some moves going.

Calm down Anthony! Not in the clear yet.

I have to get my head back in the game. Celebrate once I make it into a safe nest and not before!

Looking around I see no sign off the final centipede. Not wanting to waste the resource I chow down on the centipede.

[You have gained Biomass].

Thankfully all this fighting has really greased my digestive process. Now that I have four Biomass I really want that one more so I can improve my acid to 5. I'll have to go back to the tree that I jumped out of, hopefully the centipede I defeated there is still available.

I sneak through the forest back to the large tree. There still isn't any sign of the last surviving centipede but the remains of the one I defeated are still here.

Thank goodness!

[You have gained Biomass]

Ok. Let me just say this, if I never have to eat one of these disgusting bugs again I'll be a happy ant. After stuffing myself with the horrible things I am completely sick of them.

I don't even bother going back to look for last two bodies. I'm completely stuffed anyway. It looks like that last centipede has successfully made an escape. Lucky thing!

I move back to the lake, making sure to stay on the Titan-Croca side of the water and scout around to locate my old hiding chamber.

I'm so excited to evolve I'm practically shaking! I'm pumped for this. It really feels amazing to have finally achieved this goal.

When I find my old hidey hole I widen up the opening and expand the chamber a little bit. It's possible that I may be larger after I've evolved and I don't want to squish myself to death underground during the process.

Renovations complete I hop down into the chamber and seal the entrance.

Time for some serious changes.

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Chapter 39 Finally! Evolution!

Finally! Finally I can evolve!

I'm emotional. It hasn't been easy, I've had to struggle and use my wits, but I finally made it!

Thanks for your support Gandalf!

Thanks for persevering, me.

Okokokok.

The first thing I need to do is spend my five Biomass to upgrade my acid.

[Do you wish to improve acid to 5? This will cost five Biomass]

Yes!

[At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

Nice!

Once again a large list of potential options appears in my mind, so many choices! Searing acid? Concentrated acid? Freezing acid? All of these sound amazing. I have be careful with my selection, I only get one shot at this choice and I don't want to make a mistake!

Some of the upgrades seem to have an elemental flavour, such as shock acid, for example. I'm not sure if I want to take that path. For sure they all sound powerful but I don't want my acid to become ineffective against creatures who are resistant.

I know that the Wolf Dragon cubs are resistant to heat damage, if I were to choose searing acid then my effective combat options would be greatly reduced. There is potentially monsters out there who are straight up resistant to acid damage, which means I have one potential weakness already, I don't like the idea of doubling that to two!

Reluctantly I put aside the awesome sounding elemental acid options and look at the remaining choices.

There's an option to increase the aerodynamics of the spray, greatly increasing my range... I don't really feel like I need that. I'm happy with my current range.

Another option keeps the acid burning for a longer time, basically increasing the duration that the acid will continue to do damage. More damage sounds nice, but having to wait a long time for it to work won't help in a pinch situation...

Oh ho! This option seems interesting!

[Restrictive Acid: This upgrade will cause acid to become sticky and solidify after being fired. This effect will make the acid adhere to the target and restrict their movement].

I like this one! Not only will the acid stick to the target, which will have the effect of increasing my overall damage, it will also gum up the enemy and make it harder for them to move.

If I spray one larger enemy three times then I might have a chance to slow them down and make it harder to move, if I spray a smaller enemy once they'll be much easier to avoid, increasing my crowd control options.

Confirm Restrictive Acid!

OH GOD.

The 5 mutation is on another level. Truly it propels the word 'itch' into a higher plane.

I shall endure!

I hope!

Finally the horrible feeling, deep within my abdomen begins to fade away.

Phew...

Ok.

Now for the big one.

Evolution!

[Would you like to use the Evolution menu?]

Heck yeah!

[Congratulations on reaching the maximum level for your current species. Evolution will allow you change your form and increase your stats as a monster.

Warning: evolving will make securing XP and Biomass more difficult as fewer rewards are given for preying on creatures less evolved than yourself.

Your evolution options are as follows:

- Mature Worker Ant (formica)

- Monster Worker Ant]

OK! A new option has appeared? What does this mean? Has maxing out my core unlocked a new choice for me? So my two choices are to become a fully grown version of what I am now, keeping my species as Formica or become a non-species specific monstrous ant?

I'm not sure exactly what the benefits of losing my species during evolution... but I don't want to consider this option, if I were to lose my species then I'm not sure I would be able to be accepted back into my colony, meaning I'd have to continue making it on my own in this dungeon and even my old kind would hunt me down as my enemy!

Too cold! That kind of life would be so damn cold Gandalf! I'm already sick of being wary and fighting every creature I see, it would be so nice if I could find something that didn't want to eat me all of the time!

I will remain as my current species and re-join my people!

Choose Mature Worker Ant (Formica)!

[Your monster core has been formed and enhanced, it will provide bonus energy to your evolution]

Aha! So forming my core and upgrading it will allow me to boost my stats further when I evolve?! I made the correct choice condensing my core after all!

[Due to high Cunning Stat, manual evolution has been unlocked, would you like to enable manual evolution?]

Uh... Yes?

Suddenly my mind is flooded with information and large window with evolutionary steps and stat allocation screens unfolds. Why the heck are there so many options! I was almost looking forward to not having to choose anything Gandalf you crazy wizard!

Alright then. Being able to personally allocate everything gives me more control over the evolution, that seems like a good thing all up.

Let's have a look then.

It seems I have a set amount of evolution energy which has been boosted by my core and I need to spend this energy to change myself during the evolution process? So if I had chosen not to use manual evolution... Gandalf would make all of the choices for me I guess?

Ok. So as part of my evolution I'll gain a new organ, the pheromone gland. Nice! Then I'll be able to lay my own trails, this will come in handy when I make it back to the colony, I'll be able to create new paths to let my fellow workers know where the food is and so on.

I get to choose one additional new organ... Ok. It feels kind of weird to be choosing new body parts for myself. Let's have a look at the options then.

You must be kidding.

A massive list including everything from extra legs, a second set of mandibles, wings to additional eyes, camouflage skin, stink glands. Even the Coral Slug mucous skin is in here!

Or I could add a tail... What would an ant even do with a tail?!

If you were to mix and match in here you could turn yourself into a truly messed up looking monster.

There are also lots of internal organs and glands to choose from, some of them I have no idea what they even do. The adrenal hyper stimulator apparently induces a kind of frenzied, berserk state. Sounds risky...

It takes about ten minutes to scroll through all the options before I settle on one I really like.

[Regenerative healing gland: can release a burst of healing fluid that will result in rapid regeneration for a small span of time]

With this baby I can trade hits with other monsters and still come out on top. It also provides incredible insurance for emergency situations. If I'd had this gland when I was found by the five centipedes whilst I still wounded I'd be able to regenerate a couple of points of HP and not be in quite such a dangerous position.

If I upgrade this gland to 5 I might be able to regenerate a lot of HP quickly and get some other cool options!

I lock in that selection and then turn to my stats.

So, currently my stats are:

Might:15

Toughness: 12

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

Looking at my Might first I have two options when I add stats. I can either increase my overall muscle mass, which will increase my size, or increase the muscle density which costs more but doesn't increase my size by nearly as much.

Next is Toughness. It seems like I can either increase the solidity of my external defence, or improve the robustness of my internal resistance.

For Cunning... whoa. Thanks to my already high Cunning stat, it is super expensive to increase it. Checking my options I can improve my processing speed or increase my brain matter?! That's freaky! I can even add another brain?!?!

Right...

It looks like I can add smaller, self-contained brain sections to look after certain processes on their own. I can think of a few animals like this, such as an octopus has a separate brain to manage each of its legs. I could attach one to my acid release zone back in my business district that would handle aiming for me. Effectively giving me automatic aim.

But doing anything here costs way too much. I'll leave it alone for now.

Improving Will can improve either mana manipulation or mana regeneration... Since my Will is already pretty high, this isn't worth it for now.

I decide to pour all of my evolutionary stats into Might and Toughness. For both of these I go for a 50:50 balance of both options. If I put all of my Might into just size increase, I'll end up with a higher Might score, but I'll be far larger, which will make sneaking around and scouting much more difficult. By taking the balanced approach I lose out on raw stats but regain in flexibility.

I hope.

When I'm done allocating this the manual process is finished.

Uh, I think I'm good to go?

[Would like to confirm your choices and evolve?]

Yes.

The world fades to black.

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Chapter 40 Check out my new ride!

Do monsters dream when they evolve?

I can't even close my eyes, let alone properly sleep. When I evolved I had no concept of time or sensation. I can remember confirming my choices and then... nothing. All of my thoughts vanished. Almost as my brain had been completely switched off.

...

And then back on again.

Whoa! What the heck??

I feel... Different.

Um... this is weird. I feel like my core is gradually cooling, as if it had been on fire just moments ago. What is that about?

It's really strange. It isn't like as a human you could go to sleep and then wake up in a different body. Like, I can already tell I'm significantly larger than I was before...

Forget this! Check the status!

Name: Anthony

Level: 1 (core)

Might: 31

Toughness: 22

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 50/50

MP: 0/20

Skills: Excavation Level 1; Improved Acid Shot Level 3; Grip Level 4; Crushing Bite Level 2; Advanced Stealth Level 3; Chomp level 3; Tunnel sense Level 4; Mana Manipulation level 3

Mutations: Focused Eyes 5, Antennae 2, Restrictive Acid 5, Legs 1, Mandibles 4, Carapace 1, Regeneration Gland, Pheromones

Species: Mature Ant Worker (Formica)

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 0

Hmmm.

Hmmmmmmm.

Huuuu ha.

Hahahaha HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

Behold! Witness my power!

My strength has grown by leaps and bounds! I managed to more than double my Might stat and also increase my Toughness significantly! Evolution is clearly incredibly important to a monsters' growth in this place. After just a single evolution I've been able to make such a huge different to my stats!

This is also due to my extremely wise decision to condense my core, as well as the good luck I had to reinforce it to the maximum before evolving. The bonus provided by the core was no joke and my evolution would not have been nearly so powerful without.

I have to make sure I max my core out before I evolve the next time as well.

Ha!

I haven't even had a look at my new self yet and I'm already thinking about the next evolution.

Out of the chamber!

Chortling with glee I did myself out of my seemingly much smaller chamber and out into the forest again.

Oh ho! The evolution has done a lot! I'm significantly larger now, probably twice as tall? Maybe the same for length? Which would make me roughly sixty centimetres tall and a bit less than two metres long?

Holy mackerel! If you'd seen an ant that size on Earth you would absolutely lose your mind!

The size change has impacted in other ways as well. My Mandibles are significantly larger than before, with a little more edge in them, which should assist me in getting through enemy defences. I can also feel that my acid gland has increased in size along with the rest of me, possibly enough to store five or six shots at once!

I can also assume my stomach capacity has increased, allowing me to take in more Biomass at one time.

Ho boy! So exciting!

I jump about a little bit and turn on the spot, trying to get used to the feeling of my new body. I really feel much stronger than before! I can't wait to test it out!

Being excited is good but I need to chill out a moment. Checking my status again I notice that my mana is empty so I join the monsters around the lake for a quick drink.

The Titan-Croc appears to have gone out whilst I was evolving. I'll have to be extra careful since I don't want to run into him away from this neutral territory.

I take about half an hour to drink five times, taking it slowly and feeling out my new body.

What should I do first?

Considering how important it is to improve my monster core during an evolution, it's even more important that secure more monster cores.

So the first mission is to go collect my buried stash.

It doesn't take long to move around the Lake and head towards the camp again.

I try to stay hidden and not move on the path they took directly from their camp to the lake. Eventually I arrive at the tree were I buried the cores without incident.

Thankfully Gandalf doesn't have an issue with me absorbing all four of them and my max MP goes up to twenty eight.

Last time it took five cores to max me out, for this stage of evolution can I expect it to take ten or perhaps twenty?

No matter what, I have to get all of them before I evolve. The bonus is just too juicy.

With my first job done the next logical step for me is to test my new body in combat.

Although I hate to do it, I think targeting the centipede nest makes a lot of sense. I was able to defeat them before without evolving and the risk is low. Let's go see what I can do now.

It take me about an hour to make my way back to the centipede mound and up into my scout tree once more. I'm significantly heavier now so climbing trees is a bit more difficult ,but not much more since my weight increase is balanced with an increase in strength.

I'm not even sure how many centipedes I should take on at once now. I was able to do three, four with a bit of trouble. Five was a nightmare from which I'd had to turn tail and hide.

Let's try four...

Despite me picking on these centipedes quite a bit, their numbers don't seem much diminished, if anything there is more activity here than there was before. Large groups of up to ten are leaving and returning with a higher frequency than I'd seen not that long ago. What is going on with these guys? Population explosion?

I have to wait a fair while before a group of four heads out into the forest for hunting.

Once I spot them I don't miss the opportunity and immediately climb down to follow them.

I can move quite a bit faster now, with my longer legs and more powerful frame. I'm able to overtake the convoy easily.

For some reason I just don't feel the same sort of tension I did before.

I'm so much larger than these centipedes now. Where once they almost looked me in the eye I'm now able to look down on them comfortably. Almost like I'm bullying the tiny little things.

Bah! No sympathy for centipedes!

Once I get in front I don't waste any time and place myself directly in front of them.

Welcome! To your doom!

POW!

The first blast of restrictive acid is launched with superb accuracy, covering the lead centipede across its back and down one side.

Without watching the result too carefully I quickly line up and fire again.

POW!

Take that! The second centipede is directly struck as it moves forward to assess the threat to its ally.

Come at me you little grubs!

However, the uninjured centipedes don't charge forward as they did before. Seeing the large, evolved ant they hesitate and remain with their wounded allies, clacking their claws threateningly.

I probably have three more shots of acid left in the tank to be honest but instead of continuing the ranged assault I decide to get up close and personal. I won't learn anything if I just shoot them down from range.

The two centipedes I've already struck are struggling to recover their feet, the hardening, sticky acid is locking some of their legs and gumming up their body sections, even as it continues to burn them. They won't be able to fight for some time yet.

Fine then. If you guys won't come to me, I'll go to you!

I charge and quickly build up furious momentum. I can almost see fear in their beady, red eyes as I rush at them like an insect tank. I don't try anything fancy, I just barrel directly into the closest centipede, not giving it time to defend itself. The claws reach up and try to rip at my carapace but are simply not strong enough to do much to me.

I dart forward, my larger and deadlier mandibles glowing brightly. Crushing bite!

[you have defeated level 2 Claw centipede]

[You have gained XP]

One hit KO.

I didn't even target the head. My mandibles simply shattered the defensive carapace and tore the centipede clean in half.

Holy moly!

The remaining unharmed centipede has approached with its tail high in the air, ready to strike! Instead of backing away I launch myself forward, catching the tail out of the air as it begins to descend and severing it with one more ferocious chomp!

Then another to finish the monster off.

[You have defeated level 1 Claw Centipede]

[You have gained XP]

The two shot centipedes are still writhing on the ground, unable to even stand properly. I think my restrictive acid may be super effective against these centipedes, considering how many legs and segments they have it must be a nightmare for them if they get gummed up and can't move half of their body.

I finish off the other two with one bite each.

...

That was a demolition!

They couldn't threaten me at all! I could probably take on a group of five, even six!

This is the difference a single evolution can make! I might even be able to take on the massive adult centipede.

Even though I said I'd never eat, I won't let good Biomass go to waste.

After eating all four of them I manage to gain two Biomass.

Looks like my ability to gain Biomass from these guys has at least halved. This is the penalty for being an evolved creature attacking those weaker than them.

I'll save these points for now until I can build up to five an upgrade my mandibles. Now that I've become this strong I feel a bit more confident now.

At least, confident enough to follow the pheromone trail. Time to find my family!

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Chapter 41 Follow the yellow brick ... Pheromones

Full of glee I head back towards the lake. My combat test run was a massive success! My newly upgraded acid worked better than I'd imagined and the power of my bite attacks has skyrocketed.

If I manage to get my mandibles to 5 I wonder what I'll be able to do then?

I'm at risk of getting a little carried away with myself again. Head in the game Anthony, your new family isn't going to find itself!

Once I arrive at the lake I make my way around to the pheromone trail, my antennae tippy tapping along the edge of the water.

The usual collection of monsters has gathered again, eyeing each other off and getting a good drink of sweet, sweet mana juice.

If I look at the water it appears more agitated than it did before. The strange formations within the lake are moving more rapidly and intensely than before, I swear the lake is also brighter. Ever since I arrived in this world things have been getting brighter...

Is this a seasonal thing? Are we coming out of underground winter and moving into underground summer?

Well, there's nothing I can think of to answer that mystery other than wait and see what happens.

Excitedly I pick up the trail and start following it away from the lake.

It seems like the trail has become a little weaker over the last day or so, which means no ants have come through here and reinforced it for the last while. In some ways I'm glad because it means that none of them have shown up here when I wasn't watching, which would have been depressing.

Even if the chemical signal is a bit weaker than before, it's still strong enough to be fairly simple to follow into the forest. This feels a bit exciting now, moving into new, unexplored territory!

The weird plant life in the forest continues to perplex me. I'm finding shorter trees in this area, probably only a few metres high but shaped like an inverted Christmas tree, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. As I watch the different levels of foliage appear to be swaying in the breeze, but each level sways in a different direction.

Weird.

I then realise there is no breeze.

Out of curiosity I flip a rock at the tree and I swear the branches twitch to knock it away.

Ok then, staying away from that tree in future!

I have enough trouble with them more regular monsters, I don't feel any need to start tangling with the plants!

By relying on my stealth I'm able to avoid a few groups of monsters and stay on the trail as it winds through the forest. The trail doesn't follow a straight line but bends and curves, laid down in whatever path the first scout to come through here took as they wandered about.

Suddenly a powerful roar explodes in the forest not far away from where I am, the heavy impact of monster combat rings in the air immediately afterwards.

Yikes! Some monsters are getting serious over there!

I decide to investigate whilst keeping my distance, I don't want to be dragged into what sounds like a battle of the big boys.

Sure enough, when I creep close enough to see the action, two monsters I'm still unwilling to tangle with are laying right into each other.

First is the Titan-Croc, possibly the same one from the lake and second monster is the massive bat-faced gorilla looking creature I'd seen before at the lake.

Although this particular gorilla is significantly larger than that one was.

He's absolutely huge. The Bat-Gorilla king?!

The Titan Croc has stood up on its hind legs, the smaller and thicker mid-section arms looking slightly silly waggling in the air not able to do much. The Croc is still huge when standing, easily four to five metres tall, matching the Bat-Gorilla in height easily.

This is a battle of the freaking giants this is! I refuse to believe this massive things have evolved once, as I have. Surely this size is the result of at least two, maybe three evolutions. How could it fair otherwise? Eh Gandalf?!

The Croc is much slower on its hide legs but is able to swing its massive claws in devastating, wide swings, raking the sword like edges with tremendous force.

The Bat-Gorilla is far more nimble, ducking forward and back to avoid the swings but it doesn't look nearly as solid defensively, the Crocs' thick hide nullifying its blows.

BOOM.

In a fit of rage the Ape smashes both fists into the ground and roars will all of its colossal might, veins bulging under its skin. Electrical energy starts flashing, first around the shoulders and then streaming down the dark arms, faster and faster.

Those massive fists start to glow with the accumulated energy until loud crackling sounds are emanating from both of the clenched hands.

That. Looks. Awesome!

The dreaded lightning fist!

The incredible light show is dazzling, what on earth am I going to see next?!

The Ape bellows once again and runs forward, massive fists crashing into the earth before leaping high, bringing both hands above its head for a massive two fist sledgehammer attack!

The Titan-Croc stands its ground, coldly watching the ape approach before crouching, titanic energy amassing in its chest to be released from between those dreadful jaws in the form of a searing ball of fire!

With a shattering explosion the ape tanks the fireball with its leathery bat face before the sheer momentum carries it forward, bringing both fists down with the strength of a lightning bolt, discharging the rippling lightning through the body of the Croc.

Both combatants stagger back after this incredible exchange and I remember to start breathing again.

Holy moly!

That was hella impressive! At what point am I going to be able to do totally sweet moves like that Gandalf?

Launching fireballs out of the mouth? Channelling lightning into the fists? Maybe after my next evolution?

The two monsters eye each other with baleful glares. These two seem to seriously hate each other's guts. Something tells me these two may have fought before. After the last exchange the damage to both monsters seems to be equal and they continue their standoff, chests heaving.

Some might think I would take advantage of this moment to pounce on the injured monsters, peppering them with acid to take advantage of their weakened state and reap a fortune in experience and Biomass.

To those I would say: You must be out of your mind!

I am not going anywhere near these guys! Are you even seeing this?!

Wait a second...

What is that?

My eyes detect a flicker of movement on the other side of the titanic clash and I desperately turn my head to try and confirm what it was I saw.

I swear I just saw... Antennae.

There it is again!

What I see next causes my heart to leap with joy.

First one, then another, then ten more ants emerge from the trees, antennae furiously waving this way and that as they move around each other.

My people! My tribe! My clan!

I can tell from their colouring that these are definitely Formica ants! Just like me! I have found the colony at last!

Each of the ants is roughly my size though most are slightly smaller. I can also see a few hatchlings, just like I used to be, mixed in with them. Must be a group out of the colony to visit the lake, absorbing the mana to try and condense their mana cores. Good you guys! Give it all for the colony!

What I see next causes my heart to sink into a pit of despair.

The ants skitter back and forth for a moment, before as one, they raise their abdomens high and begin to blast the two massive combatants with acid.

YOU DID WHAT?!

Chapter 42 My family needs more education

I can't believe my hundreds of tiny eyes. What are the heck are you guys doing?! Sure there are more than ten of you but those guys are freaking massive! The Titan-Croc by itself could snap all of you up it two minutes!!

Before I can even think, my feet are moving. I don't understand exactly why but I cannot let these ants get killed, not now, not after I've been searching for so long.

I will not them die today!

Before the two massive monsters can react properly to the new threat I have charged forward, out of my cover and into the open. Digging in my feet I spin quickly to point by back at the two creatures.

Let me introduce you monsters to what is affectionately known as my business district!

POW! POW! POW!

I fire off three quick shots without aiming too much, all I want is the beasts to turn their attention to me, hopefully that way my colony mates won't be instantly crushed to pieces.

The three sizzling jets of acid streak through the air, impacting on the two massive beasts and immediately adhering to them, burning into their flesh.

Thankfully these guys are so large I don't have to aim too much in order to hit them, but it would have better if I had been able to target my restrictive acid more carefully, hitting their joints would have reduced their ability to fight even if only a little.

My gambit pays off enough though, the two huge beasts turn their back on the approaching ant force and face this new threat with primeval fury burning in their eyes.

Uh...

Hey guys!

Any chance you two are pacifists?

These two monsters look like the absolute alphas of this place, I still remember how the Titan-Croc smashed an adult centipede into bits with a single swipe of its claws. Why on Pangera did my ant brethren decide to take on these things?

I seriously hope my ant brothers and sisters are not also suffering from an immensely low Cunning stat, because I deeply question the wisdom of this current course of action!

POW! POW!

[Improved acid shot has reached level 4]

Before they can charge at me I fire off two more quick shots, both aimed at the Ape. Hopefully the extra acid will restrict its movement somewhat since it is by far the faster of the two.

Practically all of my ranged ammunition has been expended now, I have only one shot remaining. Acid is a damage over time sort of effect however, hopefully we can all survive long enough to see the effects start to kick in!

My fellow ant kind are still bombarding with their acid, firing spray after spray, I seriously don't want them to draw the aggro so I'm going to have to do something I'll quickly regret.

I charge!

Witness me!

With the two brooding monstrosities looming over me I dash forward directly toward them. These two giants are seriously ticked off, drenched in stinging acid, some of it hardening and sticking to them, they are ready to pound these offending insects into a paste.

When they see me running at them they both react aggressively.

The ape responds first, its superior reflexes and speed on full display as it dashes forward to meet my charge. The ground thunders in response to the sheer bulk of the creature as its fists pound into the rock.

With its leathery bat face growing larger and larger in my vision I can really see with far more detail than I'd like the massive curved fangs protruding from the monsters maw. Suddenly the Ape gathers its strength and leaps high into the air!

I've seen this before!

With every ounce of strength in my body I hurl myself to the side just as those massive fists impact, shattering the ground with the sheer kinetic force of the strike. Every ounce of my being is shivering after witnessing that force up close.

Even the spray of rock and dirt from the impact is almost enough to damage me.

Just how strong are you, damn ape?!

Just as I 'm congratulating myself for my narrow escape I can see something flaring up in my peripheral vision. Is that...

Jump!

Springing out with all of the energy I can pump into my legs I feel a searing heat begin burn into me before a catastrophic explosion rocks the ground just beneath my feet.

That damned Croc launched a fireball at me when I dodged the ape!

Since when is your teamwork so good?! Are you the new Colossal Brothers Duo?

That one nearly cooked me, if I'd been one second slower I'd be roast ant at this point. Even though I was able to dodge I've still taken some damage and one of my legs is fairly wrecked, it was closest to the ground when the explosion went off.

I curse my bad luck, I can't afford to lose mobility!

I don't have much choice. I activate my regenerative healing gland.

Immediately an icy sensation explodes deep with my body before creeping down my veins and spreading throughout my entire frame. Yeeouch! That feels so weird! Almost as if my guts had been put in a deep freeze!

This must be the healing fluid I'd read about. In the span of a few seconds the freezing, numb sensation has swept through me entirely and as it recedes I can tell I feel better than I did before. Dings in my carapace have started closing over and my leg is almost back to full function after being a roasted entrée just a minute ago.

Checking my status I can see that I've regained five HP from what I had before.

It was a shame to have to blow it so early in the fight but the regenerative properties of this new organ are impressive. I'm very satisfied with this purchase!

All said and done I've only managed to buy about thirty seconds so far. I hope that acid is doing some work, otherwise we're all dead!

The two gigantic monsters almost seem surprised to see their much smaller opponent still alive after their combined assault. I suppose these guys don't usually have much trouble hunting in this place, I haven't seen anything else that remotely approaches their strength.

My fellow ants are still are still firing acid from above but some of them are starting to descend to enter into melee combat.

Are you guys frikken serious? You'll be torn to shreds!

Seeing several of the ants approach the two monsters turn to face them.

I can't let that happen.

My leg is as good as its going to get. Gogogogogo!

With my two enemies distracted and facing away I charge with all of my speed. Dammit, I should have taken that dash skill ages ago! I need to be faster.

Running up behind the ape I spring high with all of my legs, mandibles glowing brilliantly white.

Crushing Bite!

My mandibles close on the wrist of the Ape with audible *crunch*. If I can disable his hand it will be a huge reduction to its ability to fight!

The beast reacts with incredible swiftness, rapidly swinging its arm and flinging me off into the air. Fortunately I've had some practice with this lately. Tuck the legs aaand roll!

As I hit the ground I land onto my back, the hard carapace absorbing the impact and then I roll over and over, dispersing the impact and protecting my vulnerable legs.

When I slow down I get back onto my feet and charge straight back into the fight. I can't afford to let up for a second!

A few of my allies have reached the fight now, rushing forward suicidally to bite and latch onto the gigantic creatures, heedless of their own lives.

You idiots!

The Titan-Croc draws back one of its enormous hands, preparing to swipe down with its fierce claws.

Dammit!

Chapter 43 Blood is thicker than ichor

Noooo!

Desperate to save my allies I turn on the spot and pray I have something still left in the tank.

POW!

Once again the sizzling acid streaks through the air. By some miracle my hastily aimed shot is right on the money, splashing into the Titan-Crocs face and then immediately begins to show its restrictive properties, turning sticky as it solidifies in an instant.

The Croc bellows in rage as it swings out with its prepared claw but thanks to its vision being impeded the swing goes slightly wide.

One ant is still caught directly in its mid -section and is instantly killed, torn to pieces by those terrible claws.

The survivors close in and start chomping at the Crocs legs, some of them even climbing up the monsters body to attack other places.

Why did I never think of that?!

The two massive monsters are still fighting fit however and I can't be everywhere at once, I've done everything I can for the ants taking on the Croc, I have to hope that they can survive on their own for a while. All I can hope to do is take this Ape out of the fight.

My bite seems to have had some effect on the monster, its hideous bat features are twisted in range and pain. Its dark fur, now almost completely matted with burning acid is slowly being stripped away and the creature is carrying its right wrist, not willing to place its full weight on the limb.

This is my chance!

I run at the Ape posturing and snapping my mandibles, the monster equivalent of shouting 'one v one me bro!'

The creature screams, different from before, this high pitched shriek seems to wobble my insides and penetrate my mind, dizzying me and everyone else in range. This feels like some crazy echolation attack! The soundwaves are so strong I can feel my whole body vibrating. After releasing this insane stunning effect the monster once again leaps high, looking to squash me flat whilst I suffer from the effect of the scream.

But. Its. Not enough!

Before he can land I leap once more, this time in a direction he couldn't expect, directly onto his body! Grip skill can also be used like this monkey brain! As the Ape comes down with shattering force I leap straight at him, clutching onto his upper leg with all of the strength my tiny claws can muster.

With my newly improved Might stat it's just enough to hold when the monster crashes to the ground.

Thankfully I didn't neglect to toughen up my inner resistance when I raised my toughness, otherwise I might not have been able to resist the effect as well as I did. If I hadn't shaken off that stun I'd be ant paste right now. Hopefully the other ants were able to manage ok, I don't have time to check on them.

Don't waste any time, bite!

I can feel the energy mounting in my mandibles as they glow brighter and brighter before a bring them closed with tremendous force!

Crushing bite!

[Crushing Bite has reached level three]

The Ape shrieks in pain and immediately starts slapping at itself to try and squash me or knock me off, much like a human dealing with a mosquito, but I'm already gone. Crawling around on the creatures other leg, preparing to deal another bite!

Chomp*

How do you like that?

Not very much apparently as the monster has intensified its efforts to shake me off, but I won't go, I'm holding on with everything I can muster!

[Grip has reached level five, upgrade available]

Perfect!

[Grip - Enhanced Grip, your feet become more resistant to effects that will limit their ability to grip, such as water, momentum].

I'll take it!

My claws into the Apes furry skin even tighter as I skitter around on his body trying to avoid the deadly slaps of his meaty hands.

Eventually I clamber up to his neck and before he can react I dig in for a massive bite!

[Chomp has reached level 4]

So many levels! This is probably the effect of battling such a large monster.

The massive monster shrieks once again in pain and hunches its shoulders against my mandibles. Then I feel something strange building up on the Ape, my feet are, almost tingling.

Wait a sec...

JUMP!

ZZZZAP!

The tremendous electrical discharge flashes all over the Apes body, crackling loudly and blinding my eyes briefly.

Holy hell!

He turned himself into an electric bug zapper!

Arrghh. He fried two of my legs! That seriously hurts... I won't stop though, this Bat Gorilla is going to get it!

Thanks to my amazing peripheral vision I can sort of make out what is happening with the Croc, I think he's been pulled to the ground for the moment, reinforcements might have come judging by the number of moving shapes I can see.

I can't let myself be distracted though, if the two massive creatures where to join forces we'd all be toasted insects.

By this point the bat faced monster is seriously suffering. Drenched in burning acid he has very visible burns and wounds that must be excruciating. It should also be mentioned that the Ape isn't a bug type monster, shielded by a hard carapace or even like the lizards or Crocs, protected by a layer of scales. This Ape has dense fur for protection but under that is skin and muscle, my crushing bites have been able to inflict significant damage.

He must be teetering on the edge by now, he must be!

The ants here are my relatives, born from the same Queen as me, my brothers and sisters! I never had much of a family on Earth, rarely saw my parents and I had no siblings to speak of. Perhaps that is the reason why I want to protect these monsters.

Maybe I'm just silly, but I don't want my idiot ant siblings to die.

Which means it's you and me Ape... Only one of us is walking out of here alive!

Red foam is dripping from the gaping maw of the wounded beast, mad fury burning in its eyes. You've got no chill ape, that's your problem.

My legs are still a bit shaky, that electricity zapped me fairly well, I don't think my regeneration gland has anything left in the tank. If I survive this fight I'm going to upgrade the heck out of that thing! Still no acid either, going to have to finish it with the mandibles.

Steadying my feet beneath me I begin to move towards the ape, circling around to side of its injured hand. The next move will decide the battle, I watch the monster like a hawk as it glares back, almost mad with pain and rage.

Come on you big dumb bat faced piece of Biomass. You've got a face not even your mother could love, come over here and let me tear it off.

Suddenly my injured legs give way beneath me and I stumble, my poor face crashing in the dirt.

The ape howls in glee and dashes forward maniacally!

You really are stupid...

Just as it reaches me, looming over with its massive frame, both arms raised for the final strike I propel myself with my legs and roll directly under it, dodging the deadly blow by inches!

Now!

I spring up next to the creatures legs and charge up my mandibles for a massive strike!

CHOMP!

Just beneath the creatures knee I rip into his leg, the crushing bite audibly crunching the muscle and bone as the chomp passive helps my jaws puncture through the defences.

The ape howls in pain and swats at me awkwardly, landing a glancing blow on my abdomen, but I'm not letting go.

Bite! Bite! Bite!

Slowly at first, my jaws begin to close further and further before they finally snap shut with a massive snap!

I've bitten clean through the leg!

My foe totters before completely losing its balance and falling to the ground with a crash. As it does so it lashing out with its injured hand, crashing a fist down directly on top of my midsection.

My vision instantly blurs as the impact rattles through my entire body. Even off balance and with an injured hand this monster is still so damn strong! I can feel my carapace crack in places as it absorbs the impact.

I hold onto consciousness desperately, I won't die now!

I still can't see clearly but I throw myself forward, hopefully at the monsters head. All you have to do is bite Anthony! Don't think of anything else just bite!

Chomp! Chomp!

I can feel my body being rocked by blows and my eyes get darker and darker but still I hold on.

Chomp! Chomp!

I'm not even sure where I am anymore, not even sure what I'm doing. For some reason though I know I just have to keep biting.

Chomp!

[You have slain level 13 ...]

Black.

Chapter 44 Something new

The origins of the Deep Legion are though lost to history. What is known is thought to have more basis in myth than in reality. Partially this is due to the lack of records that survived the great Cataclysm, particularly here in the Tiberial Confederation.

What is agreed is that at some point during that world shattering event, where monsters from the deepest reaches of the Dungeon roamed free on the surface, causing destruction everywhere they went, a group of individuals gathered to found the Deep Legion.

The organisation grew rapidly, recruiting from the populace and was able to strike effectively and well against the monsters on the surface as well as counter attack into the Dungeon. Nobody can explain why they were so successful where other human forces were not.

To this day, some three thousand years later the Legion persists as independent military organisation that regularly monitor and explore the Dungeon, in some places they are still trusted with a regulatory role, overseeing access to the Dungeon in their customary strict fashion.

'On the origins of post Rending powers, Chapter 4 The Deep Legion' by Resselan the scholar.

--

Tribune Aurillia stared hard at the captive Mercenaries, bound hand and foot sitting on the ground before her. Two Legionaries stood guard on either side of the ragtag group, hands resting on blades, ready to execute their duty at any moment.

"So you are trying to tell me that a small acid spraying monster ambushed you, destroying your shield as you raided the lake and then followed you back to your camp, stealing a number of monster cores by digging under your wards".

Nystina, the mage, nodded vigorously.

"That's right, I never even managed to see the little bastard."

Aurillia massaged her temples. "For some reason I'm not even that surprised to hear about mercs getting outsmarted by a monster".

"Hey, screw you!" one of the larger men in the group shouted, "who ever heard of a monster that smart here in the first expanse?"

He did have a point, usually monsters in this area had exceptionally low cunning. There were a few evolutions that made for large and relatively dangerous foes but almost all of those sacrificed other stats to enable that size and strength.

"Putting that aside, you should have received the notification to vacate the Dungeon we sent days ago, why is your party still operating in the Forest Expanse against Legion instructions?"

The group immediately started shifting their posture and avoiding looking the domineering Tribune in the eye.

Aurillia cursed at them internally, what you guys children?

"Uh, I think our communication crystal malfunctioned" the mage finally offered, "we didn't receive any message".

"And when you noticed that every other hunting party had vacated the area you didn't find that strange? Or were you too distracted by the profits you could make having the entire expanse to yourselves?" Aurillia said sarcastically.

She turned to one of the Legionaries standing guard and nodded curtly.

The soldier immediately stepped forward, crouched and punched the mage viciously across the face before turning to the largest of the fighters and kicking him directly in the chest. The man fell backwards, gasping for air as he lay in the in the dirt.

"You can't treat us this way" another of the fighters protested, "we're registered members of the Mercenary Union".

"Noooo" Aurillia drawled, "you're idiot Merc scum who got greedy and are going to pay the price".

She turned to a Centurion awaiting instructions behind her. "Seize any materials from the Dungeon in their possession and confiscate their licences. Children who can't play the rules don't get to play at all."

Having passed her judgement she stared at each of the mercenaries in turn. "If they complain too much feel free to give them a little more Legion 'hospitality'".

Shaking her head the Tribune walked away. The mercenaries had been found a few hours earlier, retreating to their camp after farming cores at the lake. It wasn't unusual for the local mercs to try and push the Legions authority to the limit, in recent years the Legion had been making a special point of pushing back.

Of course, as soon as they did the Mercenary Union started crying foul to the Queen about the Legion abusing its authority. Just another thing for the commander to have to worry about.

She found Titus yelling at the trainees and directing them to the makeshift training yard they had established as part of their camp. The exhausted trainees began pairing up and sparring whilst the commander watched them sternly, barking out instructions when he noticed a mistake.

Aurillia joined him and explained the strange testimony she had received from the mercenaries.

"Doesn't this sound weird to you? Why would there be such an intelligent member of this species so high up in the Dungeon? Do you think this might be the same one the trainees saw close to the surface?"

Titus stood silent for a moment, chewing over the facts in his own slow and methodical way.

"I think it is" he said finally, "it seems like too much of a coincidence that there would be two of them. If we agree it's the same one, then how in the hells did this one ant survive our sweep of the tunnels to make its way here and then survive the monsters once it arrived. This monster has shown almost human levels of intelligence".

The Tribune nodded in agreement, "for a creature as unevolved as this to show such a high level of Cunning is unheard of. Should we consult Alberton on this?"

The commander grunted, "he'd love to study a specimen like this but we don't have the time to waste. We need to clear out as much of the Expanse as we can and then locate the nest of these creatures. If our little smart ant has made it this far then there is a chance we'll find him there and we can exterminate him at the same time as the rest".

He paused to bellow further criticism at his trainees before continuing. "We've seen monsters with close to human intelligence before. Judging by the number of offspring in the area we should surmise that old prick Garralosh has been around here at some point recently. Make sure the hunting parties are on alert, he shouldn't be able to show his fat face this high up in the Dungeon but some his higher level offspring might".

Garralosh and the commander had run into each other a few times deep under the ground, the titanic and ancient creature was known to be the oldest and most powerful monster under Liria. Monsters that old and strong were unable to come this high up in the Dungeon due the mana up here being too thin to support their incredibly dense and powerful cores. Creatures like that were so old and had evolved so many times they had effectively received a name from the system itself.

There were a number of scars on the beasts thick hide from the very axe resting on Titus' shoulder at that moment. The old croc was clever though, and extremely cautious, slipping out of the traps they prepared for him without taking fatal damage.

"Something feels wrong" Titus disrupted his tribunes' wandering thoughts.

"Wrong, commander?"

He turned and nodded towards the forest below them. "I don't think I've ever seen the forest look this bright. Spawn points are spitting out monsters almost as fast as we kill them and the wave still hasn't broken. It doesn't feel like it usually does".

Aurillia reluctantly agreed, "it does seem to be building in intensity faster than usual. What do you think it means?"

Titus shook his head. "I'm not sure. I just know I don't like it. This wave is going to be a big one. We'd best be prepared for the worst".

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Chapter 45 My Mother is a giant monster

I can feel something under my head. It's solid, like, a rock? My legs are so heavy as well, how long have I been asleep? I try to stretch my arms out and can't for some reason... Where the heck are my arms?

Wait...

I don't have arms anymore! Then it all comes flooding back. The fight, the ants, the ape! What the heck happened? Am I alive?

I try to spring up to my feet but a solid force is holding me down. What the heck?! Am I still under attack?

My vision swings wildly before finally settling and I can see an enormous monster above me, pressing me down with one large leg.

Wha!? What is this thing? Don't eat me! I'm not delicious!

It takes a moment for my head to settle down. I haven't been harmed I don't think? The force on my back is pressing me down but not harming me in anyway. I quickly check my status. I'm at about half HP? I remember being next to dead...

Err.. Where did these levels come from?

I've gained three whole levels? Is this from the Bat-Gorilla? I don't really remember how that fight ended...

And as I look closer as this massive monster above me... isn't it an ant?

Like, a massive ant?

Hang on a second? The QUEEN?

A truly enormous monstrous ant, easily four times my size is standing over me, pressing me down to the ground and watching me as I wake up. Slowly she leans forward and her antennae begin to glow brightly.

When those antennae touch mine I can feel a surge of icy energy sweep through my body. I'm shocked at first but then it reminds of something, my regeneration gland! Is she healing me?

Checking my status I can see that I've gained another ten HP. This is a bit of a surprise, the Queen knows healing magic?

Suddenly the pressure from my back is gone and I can stand up. The Queen turns away from me to pick something up in her mandibles and turns back, dropping a huge chunk of monster in front of me. I think this is... the apes arm?!

After dropping off some food for me the massive Queen chirps in a friendly manner before turning and wandering off around a corner, leaving me in a small dirt chamber on my own.

Ok Anthony, lets cool down and think about this.

growl*

My stomach is seriously rumbling. Why the heck am I so hungry?! Let's think as we eat then.

[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Pugnus Fulgur Simiae, you are awarded one Biomass]

[Basic profile of the Pugnus Fulgur Simiae unlocked]

[Pugnus Fulgur Simiae: Lightning Fist Ape, Brutally powerful but severely lacking in Cunning this monster has a strong affinity to lightning and can channel mana into electricity]

Not wrong about those electrical attacks, yeeouch! Quite the formidable monster but I do have to agree, it was very stupid. I would hate to run into a monster that powerful with some semblance of smarts, unable to trick it I'd be quickly defeated.

[You have gained one Biomass]

[You have gained one Biomass]

Two whole Biomass just from eating one arm? That is unheard of? Is it because it's an advanced creature of some kind? Possibly I was right and it was double mutated, so it provides more Biomass? It certainly gave me a heap of Xp, enough to level three times even after I evolved.

Although the pain of hunting them is real the benefits cannot be denied. If I was able to get a whole one to myself...

Whoa, snap out of it Anthony, you almost died fighting this one! No need to go planning to throw your life away already!

So, how did I end up here anyway? And where exactly is here?!

Since the Queen is here then that can mean only one thing! I'm in the nest! Since I passed out when battling, my allies must have dragged me back here to be healed when they brought the food back also, which means the Titan-Croc should have also bit the dust...

Go team!

I'm not sure how I feel... I've been through a lot and risked my life multiple times to try and get back to the nest of my colony. Almost everything I've seen since I awoke in this place has been trying to kill me, I just wanted to be somewhere I wouldn't have to be so cautious, so afraid.

Now I'm here! I'm pumped up to check it out!

Just as I'm about to rush out of the small dirt chamber I notice something else glowing softly on the ground.

What is this? A monster core? As far as cores go this one is massive! Easily the biggest I've seen.

I move closer.

[Compatible monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]

Is this the core of the Ape? Did the colony leave it here for me? That seems... a little odd for a group of monstrous ants to do... was it the Queen? She does seem a little smarter than the others, did she leave this here for me as a reward?

You know, I've wondered what the reconstitute a monster option does. Reinforcing my core is hugely important since it will allow to increase my ability further when I evolve but, I really would like to know what the heck this option does...

Maybe I can just check it out without consuming the core...

[Would you like to reconstitute the monster?]

... Sure?

[Manual Reconstitution is locked since requisite skills have not been acquired. Reconstituting monster]

Wait! No!

Before my eyes the precious core begins to glow brighter and brighter before it melts into a bright liquid that gradually reshapes itself. When the process is finished and the light recedes a small monkey looking creature is sitting on the ground looking up at me with its large eyes.

What. The heck. Is this...

The little simian has dark grey skin and tiny bat-like features as well as soft black fur growing all over its body. As I stare the small chimp starts to look curiously around the room, eventually standing up and slowly waddling around with an awkward gate, as if it hadn't quite worked out how to walk.

So my precious ape core is gone and reconstituting the monster literally brings it back to life as an infant, what is the point of that?! I could have used that core to reinforce my own, possibly getting some sort of bonus since it was a such a large one!

I'm lamenting, seriously lamenting here Gandalf!

Ignorant to my pain the chimp is still waddling about scratching at the walls before it eventually walks over to me

What do you want chimp? Wha- hey!

After hesitating for the moment the tiny monster smiles and clumsily starts to clamber up my abdomen, eventually succeeding and happily sitting on my back, hooting to itself in delight.

It looks so cheerful up there I decide to leave it alone. It isn't like he can do much harm. Perhaps he has some sort of loyalty to me since I reconstituted him? Gandalf didn't have much to say on the matter... although I can apparently learn skills to make the process manual? What does that entail?

The more I learn about this crazy system the stranger it seems to me.

With my new passenger on board I decide to go and explore the nest of my colony! Hopefully the other ants won't eat him...

Walking out of the small dirt chamber I enter a narrow tunnel that winds around some rock protrusions before joining up to a another slightly larger tunnel.

A few ants are making their way back and forth, moving up and down the tunnel, looking super busy. At first I react with shock, seeing a monster up close usually means a fight is about to happen, but these ants completely ignore me, hurrying about their business. It looks like they are able to recognise that I'm the same species and from the same colony as them?

It's kind of strange to think that his is my first chance to see what I myself look like. These ants really are just very large wood ants. Normally wood ants would create a large mound rather than digging into the dirt but I suppose their options are limited down here in these tunnels. Maybe they could make a mound in the huge cavern I was in before?

About half of the ants I see are still hatchlings, significantly smaller than I am, looking almost adorable as they rush past, their six legs almost a blur.

It seems safe, thankfully. Time to keep exploring!

I decide to head down and I see two more chambers, connected to this main tunnel by narrow paths. For whatever reason these chambers are mostly empty, just a few workers resting in them.

Further down however the action is really happening

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Chapter 46 The Colony

Further down my ape passenger, who is managing to hold onto my back very well, and I come across many more ants and it quickly becomes apparent why.

Dozens of small grubs and several larger cocoons occupy the space, carefully tended to and fed by more than twenty workers. The workers are constantly checking and tending to the white grubs, cleaning them and feeding them from their social stomachs similar to the way a bird will regurgitate food for its young.

This is the brood chamber, the next generation of ant monsters are being raised here. This is super cool to see! One of my favourite parts of my ant keeping hobby was watching the workers raise up the future workers of the colony, taking care of them until they were fully grown.

It seems that these monstrous ants follow a similar lifecycle to regular ants on Earth. First the Queen lays the eggs which hatch into a larva, a small grub that needs to be fed and cared for until it becomes large enough to spin itself a cocoon and become a pupa. Inside the cocoon the ant slowly takes shape until eventually it emerges, fully formed. After a brief period to allow for the exoskeleton to harden the new ant is ready to roll.

The ape on my back is making low noises of amazement as it watched the hustle and bustle in the chamber in front of us. There really is a lot of movement, these monstrous workers don't take their feet off the pedal for a moment.

If I look closely I can see a few unhatched eggs in the corner of the chamber. I guess that means that further down from here I'll find the find the Queen.

Sure enough in the chamber down below her highness is back to her usual work. Dwarfing all of the workers in the chamber the Queen is being tended to constantly by her entourage, bringing her food and cleaning her so that she can concentrate on laying and growing the colony.

Honestly I'm surprised to see so few ants so far. I don't think this colony is very old. A wood ant nest can have up to half a million workers in it, I don't think this one has more than a few hundred.

My antennae are constantly pinging in here, flooded with the scent of pheromone trails. Instinctively I'm able to understand what some of them mean, food over this way, brood are to go this way, and so on.

The trails are laid out so that workers know where they need to be going at any time, the more workers agree on a particular path, the stronger that trail will become.

The Queen has seen me looking around and walks towards me, several ants crawling on her are forced to come along as well.

I'm still slightly intimidated by the Queen, she is seriously massive.

Uh... Hi ... Mum?

The massive monster in front of me is technically my mother here in this world, the fact that I'm here in the colony and not getting ripped to pieces is all the proof I could need. The Queen, that is to say, mother, inspects me carefully, checking if I'm still wounded before giving me friendly pat on the antennae and moving back into the nesting chamber.

Well, she seems nice?

Speaking of which I should check my HP. Looks like I'm up to about 41 since eating that Biomass. Nearly back to full, feels good.

Now that I'm finally here I'm not exactly sure what to do next. I don't have anything urgent that needs doing and thankfully I'm not threatened by anything right now, no humans chasing me down no enemy monsters. Such a relaxing existence.

I move out of the nesting chambers and out of the workers' way, heading up the tunnel and into one of the empty side rooms. On the way I pass two workers carrying a weakly struggling live centipede down towards the area we just left.

Why would they leave it alive? I think for a moment before I eventually realise why. In order to level up you have to deal the final blow, they are literally delivering Xp to Mother! She doesn't have to lift a finger in order to get experience and Biomass, the workers are just bringing it on their own!

What an enviable existence.

It makes a lot of sense, when I think about it. The Queen in an ant colony is literally the heart, the past and the future of the colony. Without the Queen the colony would never have existed and if she were to die the colony would cease to be. So it makes sense that to keep everything growing and prosperous the Queen should be as high a level as possible, as well as gaining Biomass in order to mutate and become stronger. She probably has an egg production organ she can upgrade as well, increasing the rate she can lay and growing the workforce faster and faster.

Since I have the time I decide to train my Mana Manipulation, forcing the energy out of my core and directing it out of my mouth. Every time the small puff of energy is released from my mouth the ape on my back goes crazy, giggling in delight and slapping at the cloud with his hands, dispersing the mana with his hands.

Cute.

Eventually I discharge almost all of my mana and by that time I'm getting hungry.

How about you little guy? Getting hungry? I can't actually communicate with my little passenger but I assume he needs to eat in order to grow? Since I've reconstituted him I feel at least somewhat responsible for making sure he can grow properly.

I'd better head out and get some food. It's time for Anthony to contribute to the colony! Making sure my passenger is secure I head back into the main tunnel and start sniffing around for the trails. I head further and further up following both the trail I'm pretty sure indicates 'food' and moving along with the other workers heading in this direction.

The tunnel branches a few times but I keep choosing the path that heads most directly up, I want to get back to the massive area I was in before since I'm somewhat familiar with that place, I'll be able to hunt much easier there.

After almost thirty minutes of travel through the narrow tunnel I eventually emerge back into the open space I had become familiar with. Looking about I can see that I'm standing on top of what is essentially an ant hill, a large pile of loose dirt that the workers had built up when they excavated the tunnel.

After all this time it feels quite strange to be emerging from a proper ant hill. A few workers are crawling up from the tunnel, each with their own varying level of mutation and evolution. I haven't seen any ants more evolved than I myself and honestly I haven't seen a worker quite my own size either.

It's probably a bit unusual for a single worker to amass as much Biomass and experience as I have. Considering that the ants hunt in large groups the experience would be spread pretty thin, since only the ant who delivers the final blow gets any experience at all. Add in on top of that the fact that they are probably taking everything they can capture alive back to the Queen then it must be very hard for an individual to get enough experience to evolve, let alone condense their core.

Not that I would really expect anything different from the workers, unselfish! Giving their all for the colony!

I also plan to contribute my share, but I certainly don't intend to be quite as giving as my fellow workers. With my human intellect I believe I can contribute my bit to the colony whilst also getting some experience and Biomass for myself.

Turning this way and that I I can detect a few trails leading in a couple of directions. Just when I'm thinking about which direction I should go in I see a worker scurrying back to the nest as he approaches I can suddenly detect a new scent! My senses are telling me that this new scent is call for reinforcements! There is food this way and they need help.

Picking up the message I decide to concentrate for a second and try to use my own pheromone gland. Obviously it isn't easy trying to do use something you didn't even have in your previous life but just like with the acid spray there are instincts packaged with my new ant body and I quickly work out how to use it.

I drop the same scent in order to relay the message further down the tunnel and it isn't long before more workers begin to climb up the tunnel, rallying to the call for aid.

This is the organisation that makes ants such a successful species on Earth, dominating the world of smaller creatures with their fearsome teamwork and relentless appetite.

With my message relayed I will go forth and render my assistance!

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Chapter 47 On the hunt with my brethren

As I run along the trail I decide to quickly spend the Biomass that I have in order to improve my abilities slightly. If I'm running into another massive battle against gigantic monsters then I want to be at my best. I'll leave the skill points until later, I'm really hoping that once I master Mana Manipulation I'll be able to purchase more magic based skills, but at the very least I want to quickly upgrade a few things.

With three points to spend I upgrade my regeneration to 1 as I'd promised myself I would do and then my carapace to 2. Getting a little tougher and more survivable seems like a good move.

Although I do want to save up and get my mandibles to 5 so I can choose an upgrade... I'll have to do that next.

Enduring the painful itching feeling of mutation I race off down the trail with other ants boiling out of the hill behind me and my cheerfully yelping mini Bat-Gorilla on my back.

Exactly how I'll be able to fight with this fellow around I'm not sure but I guess I'll figure it out as I go. Hopefully he'll be smart enough not to get himself killed. If he were to die in a stupid way it would double the pain of losing that monster core!

I intend to get some work out of you mini ape! You need to pay me back on my investment!

After we run along the trail I find that we've approached the wall on the outer edge of the space. Wow. This feels like it's a long way from the lake, exactly how far from the nest are these guys wandering, to get all the way to the center of the this place from close to the wall? I can see a small tunnel opening or cave in the wall and ants are bustling at the entrance, battling against something inside. It looks like we are raiding a monster nest? Judging by the size of the opening it shouldn't be anything too massive so I readily charge towards the opening, ready to assist my brethren.

As I approach the noise and din of monster battle fills my ears, growling, roaring and thudding impacts from our opponents but an almost eerie silence from the ants as they advance endlessly.

You guys seriously don't care about your own lives do you?

I can minimise casualties if I can get myself to the frontline quickly. Brushing aside my smaller brethren I bull my way forward until I come face to face with our foe, a pack of Dragon Wolf cubs that have made their home here in this cave.

There must be eight or nine of them in here! Several ants have already suffered severe damage from the fearsome impact generated by those scaled tails. I'm no longer scared of these unevolved monsters, particularly with an army of thirty ants behind me!

Charge!

Sensing the battle atmosphere the little chap on my back is no longer giggling but snarling and glaring at our foes, gripping my back with all his strength and keeping his down as he tries to intimidate the enemy with his squeaky, high pitched voice.

Maybe when you're a bit bigger they'll be frightened of you, but not yet little guy...

With my improved toughness and regenerative gland ready to go I don' t care about taking a bit of damage and I immediately push into the enemy back, snapping and biting to draw aggro onto me.

A nearby cub tries to bring its tail around for a devastating smash but..

Crushing bite!

Reacting quickly I catch the offending tail is my mandibles! Take this! Chomp! My powerful mandibles tear through the thick muscle and sever the tail completely!

Ha!

I'm not like I was before! Some of the hounds turn to bite and scratch at me, inflicting minor damage but I shrug it off and continue to cause chaos in the enemy formation.

Bite!

I can't another wolf by the leg, crushing the limb and reducing the enemies mobility drastically. Shrugging off a few more blows I push past the line of enemies and activate my regeneration gland!

The freezing sensation immediately explodes within my body, spreading throughout my form within seconds, closing over my scratches and regaining my Hp. Now that I've pushed past the enemy they are perfect targets for my acid!

POW! POW! POW! POW!

At point blank range blast acid into the cubs ranks, sending them into a frenzy as the burning acid begins its deadly work. As soon as it impacts the liquid hardens, restricting their movement and slowing them significantly.

My reckless charge has forced the wolves to turn their focus onto me, exposing their backs to the rest of the invasion force who capitalise by pressing forward, literally climbing over each other to latch onto their enemies and bring them down.

The Dragon Wolves have been scattered and isolated, allowing the more numerous ants to maximise the advantage of their numbers.

I hover around the fights, lunging forward to deal the occasional bite but letting the rest of the workers do the bulk of the fighting. At least this way they get to level their skills. However, I need to be sure that I manage to secure my own reward...

Crushing Bite!

Dashing toward a heavily wounded Wolf I deliver the final blow!

[You have slain a level four Dragon Wolf Cub]

[You have gained experience]

And another!

[You have slain a level two Dragon Wolf Cub]

[You have gained experience]

If the workers are annoyed at me stealing the experience they don't show it, relentlessly going about their tasks without pause.

I quickly drag away first one and then the other bodies of my own kills, ensuring that I secure Biomass for myself. I don't expect I'll be able to get much from these guys, seeing as they haven't evolved yet but something is better than nothing.

Seeing the food before him the little guy cannot resist his hunger and immediately leaps forward, tearing into the food with his tiny fangs. I'm not too fussed, he can't eat that much and this food won't help me much anyway.

After eating I manage to gain two Biomass in total, which is consistent with my expectations. My assumption is that l gain only half the Biomass from a source that has evolved less than I have, that fraction may even shrink further if I were to consume a Dragon Wolf Cub after evolving again, perhaps down the one quarter.

Which means as I evolve I'll need to hunt tougher and tougher prey if I want to accrue Biomass at a decent pace. Which means I need to ensure each of evolutions is fully reinforced by a maximised Core so I don't fall behind in strength.

The little guy has finished up as well and scrabbled onto my back once again. I'm going to have to come up with a name for this fella if this is going to continue. I'm not sure I can call him anything that would suite a small and cute creature like he is now if he's going to grow up and be massive like the Ape the core came from...

I don't know... Tiny?

Sure, why not. It'll be appropriate when he's small and ironic if he ever grows up to massive. It isn't like I can actually call him by his name anyway, this is purely for my own internal use.

With tiny on board and the work here in the cave done I decide to venture out in search of more prey. The rest of the workers have cleaned up the area, dragging the Biomass and any wounded ants back to the nest for healing. Looks like they are smart enough to recognise the Queen can heal their allies up until they are strong enough to regenerate their own health.

Quite the successful raid for the colony! The first of many!

With Tiny firmly on board I move away from the trail and start to take a roundabout path back to the nest, hoping I can encounter something on the way. I briefly consider putting my two Biomass immediately into upgrading my regeneration gland but I decide to hold on, upgrading my mandibles could give me a huge boost to my offensive abilities, it will be worth saving and finding out.

I can hear a lot of activity around me actually. There seems to be more than the usual amount of monsters moving around in the open, at least from my limited experience. I don't want to tangle with a large group of unevolved monsters, I'd rather find something that has evolved once so I get a decent reward in terms of Biomass.

And I have found just the thing...

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Chapter 48 Anthony and the giant centipede

Slithering through the underbrush is a monster I've not seen for some time, the giant centipede. It's quite clear from the sheer size of it that this monster doesn't compress its muscle at all during evolution, ramping up in size to get the highest Might gain possible.

However, I still think I can take it one on one, particularly if I can get the jump on it. Thanks to me not being quite so large and my advanced stealth skill, I'm going to spot these guys first nine times out of ten.

The monster is snaking through the undergrowth in the forest, clearly on the prowl for some prey. Little does it realise that there is an ant trail not far away. As soon as it came across one of those workers it would be done for, since reinforcements would quickly overwhelm it if it chose to fight.

Perhaps even more unfortunate, this particular centipede happened to come across me.

POW!

Directly from the commercial zone my acid blasts against the adult claw centipede, catching it across the midsection and a few of its legs.

POW!

Before it can react I hit it again! This time landing more on the tail section and catching a few more legs down the left side.

I'm not too worried about inflicting significant damage with my acid, although every bit of hurt I can put on my target helps, the real aim is to let the restrictive acid do its work hampering the big centipedes movement.

Aggravated by this sudden attack the beast snaps its jaws in rage and charges towards the source of the offending acid. I can already see its gait is a little awkward as a result of my sneak attack. The perfect start!

I move perpendicular to the creatures assault, forcing it to constantly turn as it runs. The claws on this particular specimen look especially mean, perhaps they've been mutated a few times? I'll make a note not to tangle with them too directly.

As the beast approaches I suddenly change direction, charging directly towards it, forcing Tiny to grip onto my back tightly, lest he fall due to the sudden shift in momentum. The little guy is completely fearless though, growling at our enemy will of his minimal volume.

The centipede is quick to respond, flipping its back half into the air with shocking speed and stabbing downward with the vicious barb on its tail! I'm prepared for it, leaping directly forward with all six legs!

Whoosh!

The sting impacts heavily into the ground after rushing just over my head as my jump carries me over the centipedes head, between his claws and directly onto his body.

Haha!

Climbing on the opponent is my new special move!

Take this!

Crushing Bite!

I dart forward and deliver a powerful chomp directly to the midsection of the monster as it attempts to withdraw its tail. The body on this monster is damn thick I can't fit my jaws around it but the carapace crunches and cracks under my assault.

[Chomp has reached level five, upgrade available]

Oh ho! I'll take that right now!

[Chomp - Piercing Chomp. cost 1 sp: The upgraded Chomp skill, an active skill that greatly enhances the ability of a bite attack to penetrate solid resistance]

Ok, so this skill is for piercing through solid defences whereas crushing bite is better for blunt force damage.

Let's try it out. Piercing bite!

Once again my mandibles are charged with energy, signalling the beginning of an active skill. This time instead being spread evenly across the flatter surfaces of my jaws the energy gathers on the sharper tips, glowing brighter and brighter until those points shine like solid diamond.

I lunge again, bringing my mandibles shit with incredible force. This time the pointed areas of my jaws punch straight through the carapace as if it isn't there, ripping into the inside of the monster, causing it to shriek with pain.

The centipede writhes as a result of my bite, contorting its body into knots as it attempts to fling me off. I'm not letting go buddy! All of your weapons are useless against me as long as I stay here, no jaws, no claws and no tail sting!

Bite, bite, bite!

After three more piercing bites I've done some real damage and the centipede is reeling, working even harder to throw me off. Eventually in can't hold on any more, Tiny and I are sent flying through the air, eventually thudding into the ground several metres away.

Ouch! With the little guy on my back I didn't want to execute my patented rolling landing in case he was crushed so I angles my body to take all of the force of the impact directly on my gut. Turning my head slightly I can see the little dude is a bit dazed but otherwise unharmed.

This is going to be a lot easier when you can fight for yourself! After costing me a premium core you're now causing me all this pain... I hope he's worth it.

Whilst I grumble to myself the centipede is trying to get its feet working again in order to mount some sort of offensive. The restrictive acid has really gummed up quite a few of its legs and the internal damage I've caused it only hampering its movement further.

While you're trying to get your feet under you...

POW!

One more blast of acid smacks the centipede directly in the face, effectively blinding it and dealing even more damage.

Nobody said I had to fight fair! In fact, it would be stupid to do so.

With its ability to see almost totally destroyed it becomes child's play to move stealthily around the monster, biting at vulnerable areas and then retreating until it eventually succumbs to its wounds.

[You have slain level six Adult Claw Centipede]

[You have gained experience]

Phew! Didn't take much damage at all in that encounter. Goes to show that the largest and most threatening monsters in this area are actually fairly stupid and can be defeated with the correct strategy. They gained their power by evolving in an uneven way, abandoning the more expensive brain development in favour of brute strength. In this sense I really have cheated the system, having a proper human mind from the very beginning.

I have to wonder why that is the case. I guess my soul was brought here to this world after I died on Earth but why? For what reason? And if my soul was put into an ant monster then why wasn't that ant monster just the usual, stupid one? Why does this body have an advanced brain capable of properly housing my human mind?

It doesn't seem to make sense.

Whilst I stand still ruminating, Tiny has already leaped off my back and started chomping into his next meal.

Hey! How can you be so hungry already?! You haven't even done anything! That's my food!

I rush forward to join him at his meal.

Om nom nom.

I'm determined to consume as much of this massive centipede as I can fit.

Between the two of us we manage to finish off just over half of the centipede and I gain four more Biomass. Evolved creatures really do provide more Biomass per pound.

Not wanting to waste the food I start to lay a trail as I make my way back to nest. When I get back to the ant hill I stand around waiting until a worker comes up and starts to sniff around, detecting my trail.

Come on guy, head over this way.

I lead the way a little, laying down the trail again to strengthen it until he starts to head off on his own. Eventually he'll find the rest of that centipede and come back for reinforcements until they can bring the whole thing back to the colony.

Job done!

Good day for me, good day for the colony! Time to spend this Biomass and keep practicing my Mana Manipulation!

Crawling into the nest I make my way down, checking in on the little larva crawling about and their attendant workers before retreating to one of the more empty chambers.

Once there I spend all of my regenerated mana and I'm finally rewarded for my efforts.

[Mana Manipulation has reached level four]

At last! Now I just need to keep pushing through until I get to level five. The dream of being able to use magic is getting closer and closer.

Now for the mandibles.

[Do you wish to improve Mandibles to 5? This will cost 5 Biomass]

I'll still have one left over, I guess I'll save that for now...

[At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

The menu unfolds in my mind and once again I'm staggered by the sheer variety on offer. All sorts of elemental upgrades are here. Thunder mandibles? Dealing electrical damage sounds rad as hell.

Savage mandibles? Berserk mandibles, each consecutive bite deals more damage? Vampiric mandibles, draining health from enemies with each chomp?

So many cool options! My eyes are boggling out of my head. I feel like I'm in a candy store. Dammit Gandalf, are you sure I can only choose one?!

I need to settle down and consider my options carefully. With my acid I chose a utility option rather than a direct damage increase when I upgraded, for my mandibles I want something that makes my bites a more lethal weapon.

Once again, I'm hesitant to take an elemental option, even though they sound extremely cool. There are a few options that do what I want but there is one that grabs my eye.

Infused Mandibles, allows Mana to be channelled through, increasing the damage of every bite.

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Chapter 49 Nest Assaul

I have high hopes for this upgrade. At the moment I can't use my mana for anything other than practice, it serves no offensive purpose, and I can't help but wonder if I'll eventually be able to manipulate my mana into different elemental types eventually. If I'm right then this could be a massive advantage, even if it is a long way off.

For now, this upgrade will give me what I want most, which is a rounded offensive boost.

Choose Infused Mandibles!

ooooOOOOHHHHHHHH GOD!

MY FACE!

MY PRECIOUS FACE!

Once the mutation begins my entire face erupts with painful itching. It almost feels as if wires are tunnel through my head, connecting my mandibles and my inner body.

This is the WOOOOOOOOORST!

It takes a long time for the mutation to end. When it finally stops I feel like crying in relief and once again I'm forced to remember that ants have no tears.

But my heart, my heart is weeping.

Getting stronger is an amazing feeling but the process completely sucks. Having spent my mana and my Biomass it is time to rest up. I still have skill points to spend but I'll keep holding them for skill upgrades and potential magic skills.

Time for a nap!

Without further ado I flop onto my side and begin to drift into the dreamless state of torpor. Tiny scratches around for a while before leaning himself against my back. Before my senses finally fade away I can hear him snoring softly behind me.

Aaaand UP!

With a jolt I shake myself awake, ready to take on another day of challenges! Since there isn't really any hurry I make sure to spend the mana I accumulated whilst resting on more manipulation practice.

I try something different this time, inspired the Queen, that is to say, mother, passing on her healing spell through her antennae. Using my mind to control the flow of energy in my core I direct it out, into my body and up through my antennae. Eventually the mana is released as a brightly glowing wisp of smoke, drifting from the tip of each antennae.

After completing my training I wake up Tiny, who is still snoring happily (is it just me or is he a bit bigger today?) and wait for him to jump on my back before heading down to the nesting chamber.

There isn't really any rush to get started quickly today so I felt like taking some time to play around with the brood.

The little white grubs don't' have much going for them at this stage in their development, no eyes or ears of any kind. They are totally dependent on the workers to care for them until they are large enough to spin a cocoon.

The little things are cute though. I try tickling them with my antennae and they start wriggling around happily, rolling away to escape. This starts a new game where Tiny and I take turns to roll the little guys back and forth as they wibble and wobble in delight.

Heheh.

Well, enough playing around, time to go and secure food for the next generation!

Wait, I smell something...

I rush out of the chamber and into the tunnel to see the workers rushing about, extremely agitated. It doesn't take long for me to work out why. The scent I detect in the air is the pheromone for emergency, all the workers are rushing down in response to this distress call!

What in the heck is going on down there?

Being larger and stronger than the other ants I push my way forward, Tiny in his customary saddle on my back, rushing down to the Queens' chamber.

Once there I can see the Queen pacing around agitatedly, as many as thirty workers clustered around her defensively. There is one other tunnel leading further down in this chamber and workers are streaming down it at the moment, that is the source of the emergency.

Curious and alarmed I charge forward, bursting into the tunnel and following my fellow ants.

What the heck is going on guys? Tunnel collapse? Food located? Are we under attack?

After a few minutes of running down the tunnel I get my answer, the sounds of brutal impact and flesh being torn are ringing in my ears.

We are under attack!

Defend the colony!

Roaring in my mind I double my speed, I'll reach the front line and smash our enemies to bits! How dare they raid our colony!

When I eventually make it I'm horrified by what I see. Broken and sliced bodies of my fellow workers litter the ground already but as soon as more arrive they throw themselves into the fray.

However, their sacrifice doesn't seem to do much to deter the invaders.

Distorted, bizarre looking creatures loom before me, walking on four legs that end in strange clawed feet, their hunched upper bodies are grotesquely bulked with muscle, with almost no head or face to speak of. From the center of their chest protrudes a hideous beak. Instead of arms, four glistening blades, made from bone or steel, I can't say, extend from their torso attached to short limbs that allow them to slash and hack with brutal force.

What the heck are these things?!

Have they climbed up here from further down below? They look like they mean serious business!

I don't have the luxury of waiting, workers are being slaughtered as I wait around. I have to throw myself into the fray!

Bullying my way to the front by shoving and dragging workers out of my way I put myself at the forefront of the reinforcements. It's difficult to see how many of these insane creatures there are since the narrow tunnel only allows two of them to fight at a time but I can the tunnel is packed with the monsters behind the leading figures.

This is going to be a tough fight. I don't want to take Tiny into the middle of this. I quickly shake my body left and right, like a wet dog, until I dislodge the little guy. He cries out in protest but there is no way he will be able make it through this battle on my back.

I can't do any more for him than this.

Come on then you freaks, let's dance!

Before the rest of my colony start climbing over me to reach their immediate death I charge, drawing the attention of our enemies directly to myself.

Slash!

I duck under the first strike but already there are more coming!

Slash! Slash! Slash!

With two of the monsters in front of me there are eight blades creating a wall of steel I can't get through, each slash forcing me to duck or retreat.

Well, Anthony, if you can't close in without getting hurt... You'll just have to get hurt!

Dodging left and right I dive forward, trying to slip past the deadly defence of these malformed creatures. The second I move the two monsters in front me react, sweeping their weapons down and around to cut off any chance of escape.

Come onnnn!

Thunk!

Agony blooms from my back as one of the edges cuts deep into my carapace, piercing and cutting into the muscle below. I grit my teeth and continue to press forward. You'll have to do more than that to stop me!

My desperate lunge has brought me next to the monsters legs, their bulk and the narrow tunnel makes it difficult to turn and bring their weapons to bare on me now and I certainly am not going to wait around to give them a chance.

Crushing Bite!

Mustering my strength I crush my jaws down onto the closest leg, the dense muscle in my head powering them to close tighter and tighter.

Snap!

My mandibles meet each other, shearing directly through the limb, causing the creature to roar in anger as it loses its balance.

Since these monsters are soft limbed I decide to attack with the crushing bite, the additional penetration of the piercing bite would be wasted on these fleshy targets.

I turn to the other monster and latch my mandibles directly onto its midsection, ripping a deep wound into body. Not satisfied I bite again! Then again!

[Crushing Bite has reached level four]

My jaws are dripping with ichor and the monster is writhing in pain. The leading two monsters are sufficiently distracted to allow the rest of the workers to close in and get to work. Some of them are still injured by the furiously flashing blade-arms but with their numbers the ants begin to grip onto the limbs, pinning the creatures down.

I've already lost twelve Hp from that one slash! Right behind the monsters I just attacked there are two more, and more behind them!

I hope their aren't too many!

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Chapter 50 Storm of blades

I have a little breathing room whilst the workers deal with the monsters next to me and I decide to use it for maximum effect!

Turning on the spot I present my famed commercial plaza down the tunnel. The enemy are only meters away so aiming isn't really necessary, once in position I unleash my acid!

POW! POW!

Two blasts sizzle their way through the air before impacting directly into the massive torsos of these horrendous threshing machines. The acid immediately begins to hiss as it burns into their flesh, hardening and sticking as soon as contact is made.

Hopefully I've managed to slow their blades down a little!

Enraged, the two monsters start to bull their way forward, slashing wildly with their limbs, even cutting into the rear of their two still struggling allies!

When the blade slices through the air and impacts into the monster to my right I seize on this chance and rush forward! If one of the weapons is stuck in that poor guy then it won't be able to be swung at me! This should create an opening.

I burst forward and then cut immediately to my right, running directly under the lodged blade and up onto the wall of the narrow tunnel and then directly onto the roof. The ceiling isn't high enough to be out of reach of those sharp limbs but of the four blades only the upper two will be able to reach, cutting the number of worries in half.

I also have to consider I won't be quite as nimble upside down but I feel like it's my best chance.

Crash!

The monster in front of me rips its blade out of the grievous wound it has caused its own ally and shift its entire body to throw weight behind the strike it directs at me, slamming the gleaming, hard edge directly into the rock in front of me.

Go!

Instinctively I leap, avoid the blade and landing on the powerful arm from which the cutting blade emerges. My feet scrabble to grip on the shifting flesh of the creature before my claws manage to arrest my momentum and dig in, allowing me to run over the shoulder and onto the creatures back.

POW!

I take the chance to fire another shot and the blade monster next to this one, splattering the beast across its flank with stinging acid. The creature turns as much as it can in the narrow space and I finally manage to spot the eyes above that savage beak, tiny red orbs that seem to burn with hate.

Shrieking loudly the insane creature brings its upper two blades down on me with terrible force, the sharp edges whistling as they cut through the air.

Desperately I roll to the side, almost succeeding in dodging the strike!

Crunch!

The two blades smash down into the body of the creature I'm standing on, mortally wounding it. I lose two legs on my left side as collateral damage, the limbs sheared clean off close to my body.

The pain is intense! I didn't think they'd be so crazy as to smash down on their own ally like that! They caught me unprepared.

Instantly I activate my regeneration, welcoming the explosion of freezing cold within. I won't be able to get my legs back properly but it will surely help a little.

Moving is excruciating but I scramble forward desperately, climbing onto the blade arms before the monster can retract them for another strike. The limbs from which the blades extend are powerful, thick with ropes of dense muscle. If I want to cut through this It's going to be difficult, time to find out how my infused mandibles will go.

As I open my mandibles wide I activate my upgraded mandibles with a thought. Instantly I feel mana gushing out of my core, flooding through channels and directly into my mandibles. I engage Crushing Bite at the same time and my mandibles begin to glow brighter and brighter, as the mana builds in them they start to release blue steam.

Take this!

SNAP!

Infused with the mana I've managed to regenerate since my last practice, my mandibles shear directly through the monsters limb, cutting it directly off!

Holy Cow! That was effective! But it used half of my remaining mana, I'll only get one more of those.

My foe roars in pain as one of its deadly blades has been removed and I desperately scrabble with my remaining legs to claw my way onto the monsters back, a place of relative safety. By this time my regeneration has done all it can for me, restoring eight Hp but it's not enough to complete bring my missing limbs back, two small stumps have emerged from the remaining sections of the missing legs. I can wiggle them a bit but they are a long way from a complete leg.

More of these vicious monsters are crowding in the tunnel behind, trying to shove forward, their razor beaks shrieking as they slash wildly into the air. How many of these stupid things are there?!

I need to finish this one off and then retreat to get my bearings back.

Crushing Bite!

I bite into the creatures' back over and over again, tearing into the muscle until my enemy collapses, but I don't stop there. I keep biting until the voice of Gandalf echoes in my mind.

[You have slain level 14 Quator Ferrum Saevissimus]

[You have gained experience]

[You have reached level 5]

...

Nards! I was hoping I'd be able to evolve, which might have really helped me in this situation. For now I just have to retreat back to safety. Climbing over the body of my defeated enemy I make my way back to towards the frontline where my fellow workers have finished off the first two monsters and are swarming over them, consuming them and pressing forward into the tunnel to continue the fight.

My eyes light up when I see the Biomass available in front of me. My regeneration gland is empty but if I can snack up for a few minutes I might be able to gain some more Hp back. I won't be able to regrow my limbs in such a short time but every little bit helps.

Staggering forward I push aside a few workers and start wolfing down food.

[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Quator Ferrum Saevissimus, you are awarded one Biomass]

[Basic profile of the Quator Ferrum Saevissimus unlocked]

[Quator Ferrum Saevissimus: Four Blade Berserker, This monster has four bone-metal compound blades on its upper body and enters a furious rage when in combat, increasing its strength but causing it to struggle to tell friend from foe]

The profile makes a lot of sense, these monster are certainly berserkers, hacking into each other without a second thought!

Workers continue to arrive at the fight, some of them climbing straight over me as I eat, rushing forward to fight. I have to eat quickly and try to get back in there, these ants won't be able to handle such dreadful monsters, no matter how much they outnumber them!

Fortunately the enemy is having a tough time climbing over the bulky bodies of their fallen comrades, the narrow confines of the tunnel hampering their movements. The ant reinforcements make use of the distance to begin an acid bombardment, launching salvo after salvo of the burning substance at the foe.

[You have gained one Biomass]

With three Biomass collected I immediately upgrade my carapace to 3, any little boost to tank up against those savage blades is welcome. I don' think it will make much difference but any assistance is welcome at this point, this upgrade could be the difference between death and living on one Hp.

Due to the current situation the mutation itch that explodes all over my body barely registers in my mind. I have more important things to worry about than a stupid itch! The colony is under attack!

More and more workers are flooding down the tunnel at this point, there must be almost a hundred of them now, fully half of the workforce. The rest of them are probably protecting the brood and the Queen, which is a good idea!

With these numbers we may have a chance!

Painfully, I drag myself towards the wall and manage to crawl about halfway up. I still have some acid in the tank and I want to use it to support the rest of the worker in the front lines.

I can see a swirling maelstrom of combat down the tunnel, the first four Berserkers have been dealt with but more are crowding behind, their mad shrieks filled with bloodlust and the urge to kill. Workers are clambering over the dead, fearlessly charging forward to engage in greater and greater numbers.

I take a moment to aim carefully before firing.

POW!

The berserkers are fairly large targets and thankfully for me, the area I want to hit is directly in the middle of their chest.

POW! POW!

Three blasts of acid arc through the air, hitting three separate monsters, splattering over their faces and beaks. I may not have been able to get their eyes since they are so recessed, set deeply into the chest but the hardening, sticky acid burning into their face drives the creatures completely insane and they start to swing wildly with their four limbs, cutting into their own allies.

Take that!

Just as I rejoice I can hear a commotion behind me and I turn to see what is going on.

Is that... The Queen?!?!

Chapter 51 Royal Intervention

A hoard of workers surround her majesty, some of them even trying to pull her back into the nest to safety. She is so large she fills the narrow tunnel, easily able to resist any attempt to remove her from the battle.

Her intelligent eyes survey the field and I can see a glint of anger as she sees the invading monsters and her fallen workers.

She chitters angrily and gradually light begins to build in her antennae, growing brighter and brighter.

This is far more energy than she used when she healed me, exactly what is she going to do?

Her antennae have so much concentrated mana in them that my eyes hurt looking at them. Whatever this magic is, it's going to be powerful!

With a cry she releases the pent up energy and it floods into the tunnel. In an instant all of the ants are bathed in light, the magic pouring into their bodies like water.

I feel it instantly, the freezing numb sensation explodes as my body drinks in more and more of the magic. My injured legs have grown so cold they are painful and as I watch they begin to regrow before my very eyes! Slowly at first and then with increasing speed the flesh extends further and further down as I continue to greedily pull in as much healing energy as I can get.

All through the tunnel injured ants are staggering back to their feet and into the fight as their wounds close and limbs regrow with astonishing speed.

What incredible magic! I have no idea how much MP was required to pour out a spell like that but it must have been insanely high! I have to revise my opinion of just how advanced a monster a Queen ant is, she must have a seriously powerful core in order to fuel this kind of magic. Of course, she has the benefit of the workers bringing all of the resources they can to her but it is still extremely impressive.

Along with her healing magic, the mere presence of the Queen has energised the workers in the fight, they have redoubled their ferocity, perhaps driven by an instinct to protect the Queen at all costs.

From my perch on the wall I can see the workers pushing forward relentlessly, biting, spraying acid, not even serious wounds stopping them anymore.

My legs have almost fully regrown now and I can feel that my acid gland has also increased its production rate, enough for me to fire off two more shots!

I aim further back into the darkness of the tunnel and unleash two blasts towards the Berserkers at the very back. That distance is the very limit of my range and I can't be too accurate but hopefully the painful acid will cause them to strike out at each other, making my life a whole lot easier.

[Improved acid shot has reached Level 5]

...

Nothing?

Do I have to raise it to level ten before I can upgrade it now? Makes sense I guess...

I need to stop expecting the system in this world to make things easy for me.

Empty of acid and with my legs regrown it's time to get back into the fight.

Quickly glancing back I can see that the Queen is not advancing further into the tunnel, putting herself at risk, but staying back, watching her colony go into battle in defence of their home. I'm glad she isn't going forward, the tunnel is too narrow for her to fight properly in this place anyway.

I move onto the ceiling and start making my way back to the front.

With their deep set eyes being located relatively low in their bodies I don't think these monsters are able to look up very well, and this proves true as I manage to sneak my way past the front line. Beneath me ants are swarming over their enemies, their numbers too large for the distracted and raging Berserkers to effectively keep off. Workers are climbing over the walls, slipping under clawed feet and latching on with powerful mandibles, dragging the monsters down.

It feels like the tide is starting to turn.

I make my way further into the tunnel. If I can disrupt the enemy back here then life will get easier for the ants at the front as they make their way forward.

The acid attacks I launched have caused ample chaos already, several Berserkers are heavily wounded and others are shrieking, arm blades slick with gore after lashing out at those around them.

I choose my moment carefully and drop down onto the back of one of the monsters, directly behind its upright torso.

I've really never seen anything like these monsters. A horrible mishmash of parts assembled into an insane killing machine. Something like this could only be the product of this underground realm, I cannot imagine nature producing a creature like this, what terrible intellect designed this madness?

Time to put the infused mandibles to work once more!

Once again mana floods out of my core and into my mandibles, charging them energy.

Crushing Bite!

The charged mandibles shear directly through the creature's flesh, creating a massive wound directly in the monsters back. Ichor gushes out, coating my head in the horrible stuff. The monster shrieks with shattering noise and desperately tries to throw me off.

My grip won't be denied and I hold on to bite again. More and more crushing bites rip into the creature until it stops moving.

[Crushing bite has reached level 5]

[You have slain level 11 Four Clawed Berserker]

[You have gained experience]

[You have reached level 6]

So much experience! These creatures must be fairly advanced to have such high levels and to advance my skills so rapidly.

I don't pause, the monster behind the most recent victim is distracted, battling against its neighbour. When the creature swings wildly with its massive blades I hurl myself forward, running underneath it and ripping into its leg.

This time a piercing chomp!

My mandibles dig deep into the limb, the sharper parts penetrating right down to the bone.

The victim immediately rears up, stomping the ground beneath with its clawed feet but I've already move on towards its rear legs.

Chomp!

[Piercing chomp has reached level 2]

With two massive wounds on two legs the Berserker cannot properly maintain its balance and gradually falls to one side, slamming into the monster behind it.

That creature roars and begins lash out once again, rampaging amongst its own kind.

These creatures are really incapable of working together in group. More to the point they don't seem to be the type of monster that would work together in the first place, why the heck are there so many making their way up here?

Eager to get the experience I continue to bite into the monster until I can deal lethal damage.

[You have defeated level 8 Four Blade Berserker]

[You have gained Xp]

Not quite enough to raise my level all at once eh?

Complete chaos has swept through the ranks of the enemy at this point, they are killing each other almost faster than the ants can bring them down. Since the Queen appeared the battle has been one sided, the sheer numbers of ants doing enough damage to send the attackers into disarray.

I continue to run interference, chomping at a leg here and there to knock monsters over or send them into a frenzy.

I gain another level in piercing chomp as I do so and I manage to finish off one more of the beasts, giving me level seven before the madness finally ends.

The tunnel is filled with Berserker bodies, many ants have fallen as well, no nearly as many as I had feared at least. The Queen's healing was able to save dozens of workers who had been wounded right at the beginning of the fight.

Exhausted, I take a look around the tunnel.

Workers are already starting to harvest the incredible wealth of Biomass around us, picking over the food, breaking pieces off and carrying them back to the colony or devouring it then and there, filling their social stomachs.

In all there were twenty one Berserkers. Where they had come from or why they had advanced up this tunnel from down below I don't know. Where they forced out of their normal area and were seeking food and safety higher up? These guys were certainly high levelled, evolved monsters, not something I would expect to see here.

To tell the truth, I want to collapse this tunnel. If creatures like that can reach us by climbing up here then I want to put a stop to it. My only worry is that workers would just open it up again...

I hear a squeaking sound next to me and I turn to see Tiny, tugging at one of my legs.

Hey there little guy, glad to see you were able to stay safe!

He is looking at the food around us with greed lighting up his eyes. Actually, I think he's drooling...

C'mon man... There's no need for... just eat would you!

I push him towards his meal with one leg. When he looks back at me I just push him forward again and he seems to get the picture, leaping forward to consume the Biomass.

Actually, considering the sheer amount of Biomass here, this could be a massive boon for the colony. Many ants will be able to mutate, and the sheer amount of food will fuel the growth of the next generation.

Glancing back up the tunnel I can't see the Queen anymore. She probably retreated back into the nest and is preparing to lay a ton of eggs. The workers are going to be busy for a while.

Despite being completely exhausted I drag myself forward and start to eat.

I need to stock up on as much Biomass as I can.

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Chapter 52 R and R

Rest and relaxation, Anthony you hard working Ant you. Don't you deserve a break? Haven't you worked hard enough for the moment?

Why yes, me, I have to say your words are wise!

Time for a break.

Before I returned to the nest I packed myself full of Biomass and managed to gain ten points, a massive haul! Clearly the creatures were highly evolved, at least two evolutions for sure, for them to provide such rich Biomass.

Not to mention my level has risen to seven! I'm practically swimming in skill points!

Another large discovery was made also, I was able to recover two cores from the Berserkers! Whilst I'd been hoping that their cores would grant some sort of bonus they simply increased my maximum mana when I absorbed them. They did, however, increase my maximum by four points each, which brought my new max MP up to 36!

I wonder how much further until I max out my core?

If my guess is correct, I'll be able to evolve again at level ten. I won't even consider evolving without a maxed core unless I'm forced into it. The best possible evolution, every time! That's my policy.

In celebration of my incredible wealth, and to let my nerves rest after coming so close to death, not to mention suffering the trauma of having two legs chopped off, I decided I would rest within the colony and not leave until my Mana Manipulation has reached level five so I can upgrade it and spend all of my skill points.

When Tiny and I awake in our empty chamber I practice my Mana Manipulation until my energy reserves are empty. I can practice a lot more now that my core is upgraded, hopefully it won't take long until I get the skill to level five.

Once that task is done it's time to spend my Biomass! So much to spend ... It's hard to choose! I could upgrade my carapace all the way to 5 and still have a point left over. This is an attractive option, helping me tank up and letting me pick a mutation advancement. I could upgrade my regeneration gland to 4, which would be nice.

Antennae could be taken to level four, which would leave three points to spend on other things...

Damn choices!

In the end I think I have to prioritise the mutation advancements. Each and every one of them has been a huge boost, I'm sure my carapace will prove no different.

[Would you like to upgrade your carapace to 5? This will cost nine Biomass]

Sure!

[At this level you may choose a mutation advancement, select from the menu]

Once more the extensive list of possible mutations unfolds in my mind and once more I try not to be distracted by all the shiny choices.

Venomous carapace, cause poison to infect things that strike you? Spiked carapace, be covered in sharp barbs? Aerodynamic carapace, increased movement speed, what the heck?

There are all sorts of options that provide strange abilities and bonuses, like the sloped carapace which helps deflect piercing attacks by making the outer shell angled, or the flexi carapace which helps bounce back blunt force strikes.

What I really want from my upgrade is an all-around defence improvement. Something I can rely on to protect me. I have an image in my mind of a brutal armoured truck, bursting through the small fry, their small attacks pinging off the hardened armour.

I think I've found what I'm after.

[Diamond carapace, significantly hardens the outer carapace, increasing its resistance to physical harm]

It may not be flashy, it may not do anything exciting, but it's exactly what I'm after. The weakness of this upgrade is that it does nothing to protect from magical damage or any kind of status effect but from what I can gather it provides the greatest increase to physical protection.

I'll need to find other solutions to those other types of attack later, for now most the threats I face are physical in nature so this upgrade will be a huge help.

[Do you wish to confirm Diamond Carapace?]

Heck yeah!

Oh. Oh no.

NONONO DAMMIT!

Without the distraction of life threatening battle to divert my mind the mutation experience is completely torturous. My carapace covers my entire body and the entire thing feels like it is on fire. Hot barbs of maddening itch pierce through my body every now again, causing me to spasm and jerk my legs madly as I flop about on the ground.

Tiny watches the whole process with a curious look on his face.

Damn ape! Why do you get to look so relaxed!

Mind you, he is definitely getting larger.

Eventually the mutation is over and I take a moment to admire my new carapace. The colour seems deeper somehow, and here and there some parts of the shell seem to reflect the light brightly, shimmering occasionally in the gloom of this room. Don't tell me, there is actual diamond blended with my carapace?

Does this mean... My shell is now worth a ton of money?

I hope I haven't just put a huge target on my own back...

Next order of business is to snack up!

This time I was smart enough to shear off some food and transport it back to my sleeping space once I was full. Of course, to prevent my fellow workers from taking it away I had to bury it and sleep on top of that spot.

Merrily I unearth my morning Berserker snack. Tiny and I dig straight in, a little dirt doesn't spoil the food when you're a monster eating other monsters, it all tastes disgusting anyway.

After consuming this food I gain another two Biomass, leaving me with three points.

I immediately use them to mutate my antennae to 3. My offensive capability has increased, now my defensive capability has also increased, but I still want sensory superiority to be a focus. When I finally start to mutate past 5 I'll return to upgrading eyesight and then antennae. Deep down I always want to find the other monsters before they find they me.

After everything has settled down my status now looks like this:

Name: Anthony

Level: 7 (core)

Might: 31

Toughness: 22

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 50/50

MP: 3/36

Skills: Excavation Level 1; Improved Acid Shot Level 5; Grip Level 4; Crushing Bite Level 5; Advanced Stealth Level 3; Piercing Chomp Level 3; Tunnel sense Level 4; Mana Manipulation level 4

Mutations: Focused Eyes 5, Antennae 3, Restrictive Acid 5, Legs 1, Infused Mandibles 5, Diamond Carapace 5, Regeneration Gland 1, Pheromones

Species: Mature Ant Worker (Formica)

Skill points: 5

Biomass: 0

Such a quantum leap from how I was just after I was born!

I feel happy that I'm laying a solid foundation for future growth right now, getting all of my mutations up and focusing on my core and magic skills will surely pay dividends in the future.

Since I've reconnected with the colony there at least some level of safety that surrounds me. Unless we continue to get attacked...

All of my Biomass and MP spent I take Tiny out for walk around the nest. I can see many workers sporting new mutations today, some larger mandibles or longer antennae here and there. The colony must have consumed well over a hundred Biomass all up, it would impossible for the Queen to take all of it so the workers were able to reap some rewards.

Paying a visit to the nursery there are quite a few new Pupa along one wall. This is the final stage of infancy, after they grow in these cocoons the new hatchling workers will emerge. What's more impressive is the huge clutch of new eggs that have appeared in one corner. There must be hundreds of them!

The Queen really went all out...

If the colony can secure enough food to grow these guys into adulthood then the colony could double in size very quickly, which would in turn help secure my own safety.

We will rise together my ant brethren!

Tiny and I play with the larvae for a while and then pay a visit down to the royal chamber. Not unsurprisingly the Queen is taking a nap, resting after her exertions of the last few hours. She must have emptied out all of her mana to cast that healing spell and I can vaguely understand just how mentally draining it is to shift that much mana.

Quite a few workers are standing guard around the Queen, ensuring nothing untoward happens to the most important individual to the colony.

That is, the most important other than me!

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Chapter 53 Skill Up!

With my inspection of the goings on of the colony complete I make my way back to my own quiet sleeping chamber and continue to practice my Mana Manipulation until all of my Mp is spent and then I once again rest.

I haven't been able to be this lazy since my rebirth and it brings me a great deal of comfort to do so now. Perhaps my stress had been building up over this time? To be able to sleep and play without having to worry for a brief time seems like such a decadent luxury in this life.

If something isn't trying to rip your face off in that moment then you are probably the one trying to rip something else's face off. The never ending war for Biomass and experience rages throughout these caves, from the open spaces to the deepest, darkest tunnels. The monsters in this place are always hunting, hungering for more. Does it ever stop?

Where do all these monsters come from? And why? I still have so many questions about this world. For all of my success in surviving and growing to this stage, the thing I lack most is information. The kind of information a human society would have, history, geography, science. What in the name of all that is good is going on in this place?!

The things that seem so insane to me must make perfect sense to the civilisations that live here, if only I could find someone I could communicate with! Someone I can communicate with and that wouldn't cut my head off the moment they saw me...

The Queen is about the most intelligent and friendly monster I've seen but I can't exactly communicate with her. Perhaps if she evolves further or gains enough Biomass she will develop some capacity to convey information. Ant speak? Telepathy? Something like that.

Nothing I can do on that front except wait.

The cycle of rest continues for two more days. When I wake up I practice my Mana Manipulation until my MP runs dry and then bum around the colony until I get tired. By the end of the second day I could swear the Queen was throwing disapproving glances at me whenever I walked by, like a worried mother fretting about her useless child.

Dammit Mum! Just a few days off ok?!

The rest of the workforce never stops for a moment, endlessly running back and forth, venturing out to scout and find food then bringing it back, tending to the brood, cleaning up the nest, then entering torpor to rest before starting the whole process over again.

I honestly feel tired just watching them.

Tiny seems to be enjoying our vacation, lazing about on my back as we travel and sleeping at every opportunity. I can't help but think he'll get hungry if we keep slugging about much longer.

During my practice on the third day, the gruff voice of Gandalf finally comes through.

[Mana Manipulation has reached level 5, upgrade available]

AT LAST!

YOUR VOICE IS LIKE MANNA FROM HEAVEN TO ME O GANDALF!

How long was this stupid system going to me make me wait!

How I've struggled, tempted constantly by urge to spend my precious skill points. I haven't even allowed myself to open the skill menu, lest I succumb and waste points that I may have needed to learn sweet magic skills!

But now. Now my time has arrived!

Eagerly I whip open the skills menu to advance Mana Manipulation.

[Mana Manipulation - Mana Shaping, this advanced skill increases the ability to control mana into specific shapes and forms required for casting spells]

Ok! This looks promising, I'll upgrade that one immediately!

Now for the second step, looking at the complete list of available skills. I'm actually a bit nervous before I open it, I'm really hoping for something good!

When I do finally open the menu, a flood of new options have appeared, completely shocking me!

Skills I recognise from the beginning are still there but many others have joined them, combat skills, defensive skills, mental skills.

So many delicious goodies, I can hardly choose! Before I let myself get distracted I quickly hunt down any magic related skills in the list.

[Forceful Mana, increases the ability to release significant amounts of mana in a shorter span, with greater impact]

[External Mana Manipulation, grants the capacity to control and manipulate mana outside of the users' body]

[Mana Sensing, gives the ability to sense bodies of concentrated mana using the monster core]

These three skills are directly related to magic or mana in some way. Whilst I was hoping to be able to throw fireballs it looks like I'm still in the beginning stages. I'm a simple ant, when I see mana in the skill title, I buys it.

As soon as I confirm my purchases the now familiar sensation like trickling water over my brain. New knowledge flows lightly into my mind, pooling into the cracks and crevices, filling up the places that where lacking.

I have only a single skill point remaining but there are still so many fantastic skills to choose from.

Just as I'm agonising over which skill to take a name in the list suddenly catches my attention. I think ... I know what this one is about.

[Core Mechanic, enables the user to manipulate the structure of a monster core on a superficial level].

Even though this skill does nothing for me in combat, healing, scouting or magic I can't help but think that this skill could be key to my future in this world. I remember when I reconstituted Tiny from a core, the system suggested that some skills would enable the ability to customise the process, probably in a similar way to how I could somewhat control my own evolution.

Despite being unclear on exactly what this skill entails, I choose it.

Now all of my amassed skill points have been spent!

I'm somewhat disappointed that I can't start using magic immediately but still satisfied I was able to take every mana related skill in the list. Hopefully soon I'll be able to start slinging magic around!

Looking at Tiny as he lies sleepily on the floor reminds me of his adult form and the Titan-Croc engaging in battle. They were able to channel lightning and spit fireballs but it didn't seem as if they were using magic in any intellectual way when they did so.

Is there another way they were able to gain those abilities? Perhaps during evolution they were able to develop an ability to naturally perform some actions with their MP.

It bares thinking about, I may be able to shed more light on that when I evolve again, something I hope will be coming my way when I reach level ten!

Now that I have my new skills selected I want to take some time to get a feel for what they do. The knowledge provided when purchasing a skill gives a sense of how to use it but that doesn't really compare to consciously utilising it.

First External Mana Manipulation. This one is going to be a little tricky. Slowly I focus my mind, abandoning my senses and reaching out with my thoughts. Gradually my consciousness unfolds into the open space, a strange sensation to say the least. I feel light flows of mana around me, slipping through the air like fish in a stream.

Different than the concentrated, dense mana in my core, these thin, elusive trails of mana are far more difficult to grasp. After ten minutes of trying to direct the path of the mana and bend it to my will I have to give up as my head is aching.

That is seriously hard! At this point I'm not even sure what practical use such a skill will have but since it's there I'm going to attempt to master it.

Next is Mana Sensing. According to my understanding I need to use my core a focus for this skill. Much like I did when I practiced mana manipulation I sink my focus deep inside, down inside the spherical gem that is my monster core. Inside, dense mana swirls and billows like hot fog. Rather than focusing on the energy itself, I let my mind expand to fill the space. Then I wait.

Gradually, the faintest echoes begin to register on my senses, as if a pebble had been thrown in a pool of water I'd dipped a finger in, tiny ripples lap against the edges of thoughts. Slowly the ripples grow larger and more pronounced, until I can determine a direction, then a sense of distance.

I actually think... this is the Queen?! It's difficult to interpret but I seem to be registering a strong concentration of mana very close, in the nest, below me somewhere. The only think I can think of is the Queen herself.

Phew!

This skill is also mentally taxing. I'm flat out drained at this point, my poor ant head is pounding.

Still, one more to test.

For the final time I focus down on my core and extract the energy, directing it towards my mouth, as I've become accustomed to doing. However, this time, instead of releasing it immediately I bring up more mana, and then more, condensing it, compressing it into a tight ball of furious energy.

When I cannot compress the energy any further I finally allow it to be unleashed from my open mouth. Instead of a small puff of a cloud , the mana explodes from my mouth in a powerful blast of pure force. The energy howls through the air and smashes into the dirt wall with an impressive impact.

I'm completely shocked!

Was that... The legendary shout?!

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Chapter 54 Back to work

I'm quite pleased with the display of Mana Force. With a blast like that I might be able to some serious damage! With a few more levels I might be able to reduce the amount of time required to prepare such an attack to the point it becomes usable in combat.

With my mental energy largely exhausted I decide to take one more nap before diving back into productive society. The shut-in lifestyle isn't for me and no self-respecting ant could possibly be happy living that way.

We are workers! We need to work, for the glory of the colony! And in order to level up so I can evolve!

Maybe my motives are not as pure as my fellow workers but my results will be miles better. Let us see how an ant colony can prosper with a human intellect helping them out.

Tiny is starting to look a little disgruntled. His tiny bat-like face is a bit sad around the edges and he keeps looking around for something, getting and more and more dejected when his search comes up empty.

Getting hungry are you little guy?

One more sleep and then we'll be go out hunting ok?

As I settle down to nap Tiny reluctantly joins me, settling against my back as we snooze.

OK!

I shake myself awake abruptly, causing Tiny to jump awake with a small shriek and look around wildly.

Nice energy little fella, we've got a big day in front of us now!

The cosy confines of our own room surround us, the bustle of the colony largely outside our awareness here, we can rest peacefully. The soft dirt walls show the scratch or bite mark from when the workers carved out this chamber. I'm still not entirely sure why it was dug at all, considering the fact that the workers very rarely come in here.

I'm not too fussed though, since it works out to my advantage.

Blinking his eyes sleepily, Tiny climbs up onto my carapace and I rocket out of the room and into the tunnel. Workers are frantically running here and there as always and when I visit the brood chamber I see a large squad of workers fussing over the new eggs, ensuring they are kept clean and at the optimal temperature at all times.

The colony is going to need a heck of lot of food pretty darn soon in order to raise up this massive generation and I intend to make it happen.

The larger and stronger the colony becomes, the safer and more secure I'll be in this world.

Of course, I'll secure my own fair share of experience and Biomass whilst I'm at it.

Time to get to it!

With Tiny holding on I charge up the tunnel, frequently bumping other workers out of my way. I'm coming through guys, pick up the pace, we aren't driving Ms Daisy!

The closer I get to the ant hill in the forest I start to notice a change in the walls of the tunnel. The glowing threads I recall from my time in the earlier tunnels are starting to appear, thin at first but thicker and brighter the close I get to the open space ahead.

Are these pulsing lines ... growing down the tunnel?

I'm positive they weren't hear just a few days ago!

I'm not sure why but I find it vaguely unsettling to think of these strange, branching vines of glowing light as a growing, living thing.

What are they?

I mentally shrug my shoulders, I don't have an answer now and I don't see how I can get one in the future. All I can think of is to keep an eye on the situation and see if I can learn anything as things develop over time.

Casting aside my concerns I focus once again on the mission for today. Securing food for the colony.

Emerging out of the tunnel and into the huge open space of the forest feels good. It's nice to be out and doing something again!

Holy Moly it is bright...

Significantly brighter than before...

Not to worry, we have business to attend to.

I can see a few workers here and there on the hill, keeping watch probably, or maybe waiting for a scout to return with news of food. Hold tight fellas, I have a feeling you'll be hearing about it soon.

Full of confidence I dash down the hill and under the cover of the trees and towering mushrooms, the multi coloured canopy shielding me from above.

The undergrowth seems to be more dense than a few days ago, as if feeding on the growing intensity of the illumination in the forest.

In fact, as I move between the tree roots and long white stalks I notice that the entire space seems to have to have come alive with activity, like a rainforest after a storm. The sounds of monsters surround me, growls, roars and the ripping, tearing percussion of battle.

The space has become packed with monsters.

When the monsters run into each other there is only one thing that will occur, a fight! Currently the area around me is filled with such combat, the strong consuming the weak, growing even more powerful from the experience and Biomass they harvested as a reward.

I don't know why this area has become so populated all of a sudden. Perhaps this is linked to the intensity of the light in the forest?

At any rate, this abundance of monsters is suitable for my purposes, if there is experience and Biomass to be gained then the colony and I will get our slice of the pie!

I climb a tree, hoping to spy an opportunity from the upper branches. Hauling myself towards the top I peer through the foliage at the area around me, making full use of my eyesight to scout around.

I can see a few a mounds or hills that are likely to contain nests but they aren't exactly what I was hoping to see.

Maybe over this side ... Aha!

A larger tree bursts out of the canopy, standing taller and prouder than those around it. The large branches extend in a wide diameter, providing a tremendous amount of space and shelter within the embrace of those leafy arms.

Even from this distance I can spy the small shapes darting here and there high up in the tree.

I memorise the location and then descend the tree, making my way back to the ant hill. There are still workers positioned defensively, darting here and there on high alert, ready to pounce on any perceived threat.

Good work lads, keep up the good work!

After thinking for a moment about how to perform this task I start to lay down the pheromone trail for food, heading away towards the large tree I'd spotted in the distance.

After getting a hundred metres from the hill I return and lay the trail once more, strengthening it. Then I do it again.

Laying the same trail multiple times makes it appear more relevant and interesting to the workers, increasing the likelihood they will choose to follow it.

Sure enough my effort is rewarded with a few workers emerging from the nest and after 'sniffing' around with their antennae they start to follow along my path.

Well done my fellow colony buddies, I promise you most likely won't regret this choice.

I hurry of towards the large tree I'd seen, remembering to continue to lay my trail as I go. I should give some thought to spending Biomass on my pheromones. Now that I'm actually using them to influence the workforce it strikes me how useful it would be able to send better, stronger signals which would cause the rest of the ants to respond to my actions more quickly.

Even now after laying the trail three times I've only managed to draw a few workers along, if I had upgraded to 3 or 4 then surely I would receive a much more enthusiastic response.

It's so hard to decide where to spend Biomass in this place! All of the options seem so useful!

I move quickly so that I'm able to arrive at my destination well before those following behind me and it isn't long before that large tree looms out of the woods around me. Just as I'd seen from my scouting position, this impressive specimen is fully occupied by a huge number of those small monkeys I'd seen before, the spark chimps.

When they see Tiny and I arrive at the base of their tree the chimps immediately start howling madly, pointing with their little fingers and screeching at the top of their lungs, causing an impressive cacophony of sound.

For his part, Tiny seems completely unimpressed with his ape cousins up the tree, his only response is a low growl in the back of his throat as he watches the tree with hooded eyes.

You can really talk the talk you little apes, pretty soon we are going to find out if you can walk the walk!

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Chapter 55 Timber.

Looking at the thick trunk of the large tree before me I flex my mandibles cautiously. Hopefully these infused mandibles are up to the challenge.

Ignoring the deafening noise of the little chimps above me I wander up to the base of the tree. The aggravation of the monsters only becomes more intense as I approach, the small creatures look almost comical with their faces twisted in incandescent rage, completely infuriated that a single enemy would dare approach their territory.

Turning my head I can see three workers have followed my trail to the area where I had finished it, about fifty meters away from the tree. Once they arrive there they muddle about, turning here and there, looking for the location of the food which the trail had indicated to them existed in this place.

Not to worry chaps, I'll be serving it up to you shortly!

Infused mandibles!

As soon as I activate it with a thought, mana begins to flood out of my core, rushing through my body and into my mandibles. The build of energy becomes more and more intense until I almost wonder if there is anything I can't bite through with all this power.

Combined with the strength generated by my active skills I can pack a tremendous force into every bite.

Under the bewildered and disbelieving eyes of an entire tree full of monstrous apes I rear back my head and then darting forward I unleash the full force of my might upon the tree trunk.

Piercing bite!

Crunch!

The sharp edges of my mandibles sink deep into the strange wood these trees are composed of, sending splinters flying into the air and bouncing off my carapace. After this bite I don't cut off the flow of mana, letting it continue to pour out of my core and fuse with my jaws, vastly increasing their strength.

Again, piercing bite!

Crunch!

And again!

Crunch!

My mana is depleting at a furious pace, the power of these mandibles does come at a steep cost. For a monster with a poorly developed core they would be almost completely useless but thankfully I've been able to reinforce my core a quite a few times and I'll only continue to improve it further in the future!

Crunch!

The apes above are completely apoplectic with rage now, almost foaming at the mouth in their anger. I think they may have finally realised what I'm up to, some of them are starting to descend the tree in order to contest my actions.

But it's too late.

Crunch!

CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAK!!!

Oh! Here we go!

I secure Tiny on my back and dash away from the tree, moving across the path of descent and turning my head so I can watch the show.

The huge tree, with all of its shocked occupants on board, slowly begins to lean over.

The apes become completely silent in horror as their world literally starts to fall around them, whilst they are still in it.

TIMMMBEEEERRRRR!

CRASH.

With increasing speed the tree tilts and then falls to the ground with a tremendous boom, the sound of whistling leaves and shattering branches resounds through the forest.

Followed by the indignant howls of hundreds of tiny apes!

The three workers stare silently at the bizarre spectacle of a horde of injured apes pouring out of the wreckage of their tree home like angry demons. Possible even to a monster ant this site is truly something fresh and original.

For the colony!

Gleefully I charge forward into the gathering throng of ape monsters, Tiny hooting and roaring on my back like an enraged knight, who is also an ape.

The small creatures are scattered by my larger frame, literally bouncing off my diamond carapace when they attempt to strike back.

My assault sparks the workers into action! There is a fellow ant in a battle! Fight! Food! Two of the ants immediately turn and sprint back towards the colony. I'm not shocked by this, they aren't running away in fear or anything like that, these workers know no fear, but are instead going to summon reinforcements from the nest with all the speed they can muster.

The final remaining ant immediately leaps into battle alongside me, latching onto the nearest ape with its jaws and engaging in deadly combat.

My mission now is to delay and keep this one worker alive until our brethren arrive for the battle!

The apes are screeching mad as they rush to slay the would be attackers, punching and kicking at me, some of them even picking up improvised weapons like branches and rocks to try and increase their damage.

Muahahahaha!

Useless!

All of your efforts are for nothing!

My newly improved diamond carapace is the perfect defence against these sorts of impacts, my HP isn't even dropping at all! The small monsters physical strength is surely far beneath my toughness to begin with, when the advancement of my carapaces against physical damage is also taken into consideration then there is very little that these chimps can do to me with their strength alone.

I rampage through their ranks joyfully, knocking them aside and sweeping them from before me with large swings of my mandibles. The anger and fury on the monsters faces only grows more intense as I play with them and they redouble their efforts, grouping up to leap through the air and bring their fists down on my head with all of the force they can muster.

...

Is that all you've got?

It barely tickles!

Whenever I see my lone ally starting to get surrounded I charge towards him clear away the swarm and draw the aggro back to myself. This is actually a lot of fun!

ZAP!

Ouch! Why you little!

So the little chimps have started to bring out their skills eh? Turning around I can see one of the apes drawing his fist back after punching me in the side, electricity still sparking off his arm. You little monsters can use your electric skills huh?

Checking my stats I can see my Hp has dropped by one. Tsk. When I evolved I was careful to increase my internal resistance as well as my external defence but against elemental damage like this my diamond carapace doesn't help at all. Even though I'm able to almost completely resist the attack it's still enough to break through my defences and drain my Hp.

Witnessing the success of this strike more and more chimps begin channelling electricity into their hands, tiny jolts of electricity sparking off their fur and the energy builds and builds.

I won't let you!

I start to rampage through their ranks even more vigorously than before, sending the apes flying before they can fully prepare their strike. Tiny is hooting and hollering from his position on my back, occasionally lashing out with a fist or foot whenever one of the apes gets too close.

Despite my best efforts several more strikes land on my body, discharging their electrical force through my frame and my Hp drops by a few more points.

Maybe you chimps are going to get somewhere after all...

Kidding!

Regeneration!

The flood of icy sensation powers through my body, repairing all of the internal damage caused and brings my Hp back to full in a matter of seconds.

All of your efforts are for nothing, apes!

Checking on Tiny I can see that he remains completely unaffected by the electricity that is coursing through my body. Since he is actually an evolved version of these smaller chimps he is no doubt powerfully resistant to electrical damage to start with, I'm not sure if he has even noticed it to be honest.

In the middle of the melee I turn to check on my ally and notice that more ants have finally joined the battle and when I look in the direction of the trail more and more are making their way down and into the fight.

Now the real power of the colony will begin to show!

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Chapter 56 Anthony"s colony growth strategy

More and more reinforcements appeared, plunging directly into battle without fanfare.

I was once again struck by the coordination and eerie silent aggression of the ants.

If a wave of soldiers were to appear, their gallant charge would be accompanied by shouted battle cries, faces adorned with noble expressions of sacrifice, determination and the thirst for victory.

This scene would stir the hearts of all who saw it, bringing tears to the eyes of elf maidens as they hastily composed epic poetry and songs about the dashing heroes who had so boldly, so heroically gone into battle that day, songs that would live on forever.

This moving scene would never occur when the colony advanced into battle however.

The workers made no sound, no battle cry, as they advanced on the enemy. As soon as the ants were close enough to detect the battle they simple ran forward to engage the foe, their cold eyes showed not a flicker of fear, hesitation, joy or triumph.

To me, this behaviour is heroic in another way. The ants are truly selfless, not considering preserving their own health, willing to sacrifice their life at a moment's notice to further the growth the colony. They needed no high ideals to do this, they were not seeking reward or riches, in the minds of the workers this was their task, their job, their purpose in life.

I appreciate you workers! Even if nobody else cares, I Anthony, am deeply moved by your single minded dedication!

Viva the workers!

Viva the colony!

It is for the sake of these workers and their growth that I have launched this anti-ape crusade. From the time I approached the tree and cut it down to all the time I spent charging through the horde of monsters and knocking them around I've been careful to injure the apes but never deal the finishing blow.

No, I have been saving all of this delicious Xp and Biomass for the workforce. After evolving and levelling up I doubt I'd be able to benefit much from these apes anyway. Instead of taking all of the resources for myself I'll help the colony by creating opportunities for the workforce to develop its strength, absorbing Biomass and gaining levels, as well as providing food for the colony to grow the next generation.

More and more workers are flooding into the battle, as many as fifty of the monstrous ants have engaged in bitter combat by this time, gradually overwhelming the apes with their vicious mandibles and acid bombardment.

The scene has become increasingly chaotic as acid rains from the sky upon ants and apes locked in deadly combat. Everywhere I turn there are groups of monsters battling to the death, workers darting here and there, using their mandibles to savagely bite down on their enemies even as the apes scratch, punch and discharge their electricity towards the insects.

What a vicious melee!

I continue to run interference through the ranks of the enemy, scattering them whenever it seems like a worker will become surrounded or threatened. With all of these factors working together it isn't long before the entire horde of spark chimps has been defeated, becoming fuel for the powerful engine that is the colony.

Feeling tired and satisfied, I survey the battlefield. Workers are picking through the remains of the apes, some of them already eating, others picking up the food and beginning to transport it back to the colony.

The workers are smarter than they appear in many areas, they know how much food the colony needs and will be sure that any excess isn't wasted. Particularly since the first creature to eat a food source is the one to gain the Biomass from it, passing on food stored in the social stomach will cause the worker to miss out on nutrition but not Biomass.

Perhaps this is why the workers transport so much back to the nest, this way the Queen and the workers who are almost full time helping the brood are also able to amass Biomass points. Since we have successfully secured more food than the colony realistically needs to keep all of the members going today, the workers will take it all for themselves rather than let any of it go to waste.

In this way my goals have been met.

I'm sure lots of workers were able to gain levels during this melee, not to mention the huge amount of Biomass consumed will allow many of the ants to mutate and improve the performance of their bodies. This will make the workforce more effective in fighting and growing the colony which will in turn allow the workers to amass more experience and Biomass as they battle, creating a positive feedback loop that I have no intention of slowing down.

Oh no, get ready workers, there are no breaks on this train.

Heheheheh.

With all of this food lying about I make sure to take my own 'tax', as well as letting Tiny get his fill. My little ape friend is getting larger at an increasingly rapid pace at the moment, almost visibly growing with every passing meal. It won't be long before he doesn't comfortably fit on back and will have to get around on his two feet.

About time you slacker!

After filling up on the spark chimps I only manage to gain three Biomass, a long way from the wealth I accrued from the berserkers. Those points immediately go into Regeneration 2 and Pheromones 1. The regeneration gland has proven to be incredibly useful already and I'll stick to my commitment to prioritise its growth. If I'm going to be conducting more battles with the workers like this then I can see the value in increasing my pheromones, allowing me to direct the flow of the ants faster and with less effort.

Since the colony has been provided with ample food for the time being I'll wait until my next campaign and spend some time working on my magic skills.

I really have too much to do at the moment! In addition to fuelling the growth of the colony I want to find more monster cores so I can reinforce myself to the limit before evolution as well as level up all of my body to 5, get to level ten and find the space to improve all three of my foundation magic skills!

Anthony, you are one busy ant!

Before I leave the area I notice that there are a few workers who are being left behind by the others, struggling with injury. Despite my best efforts I couldn't be everywhere at once, some of the ants being injured was inevitable. I'm pleased enough that there were no casualties on our side but it still gets my heart down to see these workers struggling with their wounds. One hatchling in particular has suffered three injured legs and cannot walk effectively, feebly dragging itself along the ground towards the colony.

Even with half of its legs broken and unusable this little worker is still carrying an ape in its mouth as it pulls itself through the dirt back to the nest.

Now that, is some dedication.

Moving quickly I make my way over to the tiny hatchling and gently pick them up in my mandibles. No worries little chap, this trip is on me.

Tiny, completely stuffed by this point, painfully hauls himself onto my back where he flops listlessly. Is this a food coma? Perhaps he went too far this time..

With my small passenger in my mandibles, who is turn carrying food in their own mandibles I make my way back to the nest safely.

When I arrive I head straight down to the Queens chamber where I find mother already busy healing a few of the injured workers, tapping them on the head with antennae to pass on the healing energy.

Good on you Queen, keeping the workforce going full strength!

I deposit my fellow worker before the Queen and look up to her gazing down at me with approval twinkling in her large eyes. Before I leave she gives me a quick pat on the head with one foreleg and moves to heal the hatchling I delivered.

She really is smarter than the workers by quite a bit...

Time to go practice some magic!

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Chapter 57 Practice makes perfec

My new mana practice is a little more involved than my old one, since I now have three skills to train instead of one.

Mana shaping is fairly straightforward to train. All I have to do is draw the mana out of my core and then, rather than simply releasing it from my body as I'd done before, I instead hold the mana within myself and then attempt to create the simple symbols and designs that the skill in my mind suggests I need to learn how to create.

I can only imagine that combined with other skills these shapes will enable me to cast spells in some way.

External Mana manipulation is similarly simple to practice. All I have to do is extend my senses to grasp hold of the Mana in the air around me and attempt to shift it around. Sounds simple right?

Unfortunately the above two exercises are completely mentally exhausting, even more than my original Mana Manipulation practice. I'm so damn tired!

If I have to keep doing this every day for Gandalf knows how long I'll be totally flat mentally before I have a chance to out hunting!

I'm starting to reconsider my earlier opinion on having extra brain centers. During my next evolution I might take a look and see if it's possible to attach a sub brain to my core or somewhere else in order to help carry some of this mental burden.

I can't help but feel such an addition would make practice far less burdensome and therefore much more efficient!

What's an extra brain anyway? I've got six legs now where in the past I only had two and frankly, I have to say it's an improvement. There's no need to get so fussy about such a small thing as the number of brains one has!

Perhaps...

After exhausting myself and not receiving any levels for it I drag myself back out of the nest for the next part of my day, Tiny once again hitching a ride on my back.

How long is it going to take until he's actually going to be useful? He might be adorable in his mini form but I'd rather he was larger and a bit more capable...

He has been growing in size with every meal so far, to be honest he's actually nearly twice as large as he was when he was first formed out of the monster core, consequently he's been able to eat more food and grow even faster. At his current pace I think he'll probably be larger than me after four more days. How long it will take for him to reach his original massive size I have no idea.

As we make our way up the tunnel to the ant hill in the large open space I can sense some agitation from the few workers ahead of me. Is something going on?

When we reach the top of the tunnel and emerge into the open air I take a moment to quickly scan our surroundings. On the edge of the trees not far from the ant hill I can see the source of the workers unease, two massive wolf-like creatures, their powerful, draconic tails twisting and lashing the air behind them are prowling back and forth, watching the much smaller ants with greed in their eyes.

These guys are most certainly the evolved form of the wolf-dragon cubs that I'd encountered long ago in the upper tunnels. Compared to their smaller selves, these guys are easily twice the size, their fangs and claw are much larger, not to mention their most potent weapon that muscular tail. I well remember the shattering force they can exert when swinging that fearsome thing around.

In fact, when I study the two beasts more closely I can see the tail of one is significantly larger than the others, it also appears to glimmer in the light, as if covered by some kind of metallic sheen above the scales.

Could this particular monster have achieved a mutation advancement for its tail? I'll need to be careful...

I can't help but wonder why these two have appeared here and now ... are they related to the nest of cubs the colony raided a few days ago? Or are they simply eyeing off the tremendous amount of Biomass represented by an entire colony of much smaller and weaker creatures like ants?

Huh. If they try and raid this ant hill they are simply courting death! I'll easily rally the brethren and bring them down!

In fact, even as the much larger monsters are eyeing off the colony, I'm busy eyeing them off, greed slowly accumulating in my heart.

If I'm able to take down these two there might even be a full level in it for me, not to mention the Biomass! Between the two monsters I could expect five or even more point! Enough to possibly mutate my antennae and then perhaps another body part as well.

Once the though enters my mind it is proving extremely hard to shake...

Get a hold on yourself Anthony!

Don't let greed push you to an unreasonable action! If I were to attempt to fight here there is zero chance that the colony won't get involved and I don't want any workers to die randomly due to my actions.

Does that mean I let these two stalkers go?

Absolutely not! Are you crazy!

Acting casual, as casual as I can act when I'm a giant ant monster, I join in a trail of workers drifting into the forest.

These guys never stop after all, even if I'm practicing magic or having a nap the workforce is always going to be out scouting and fighting in order to secure food and right now is no different.

Once I've followed the trail far enough that the plant life is obscuring me from view I immediately enter shark mode and stealth into the undergrowth, making my way back around until I eventually arrive behind the last position I'd seen the wolves.

Sure enough the pair of them are still there on the edge of the tree line, pacing back and forth as they watch the ant hill.

Going to take a bite out of the colony eh?

What if the colony were to take a bite out of you?

Chuckling to myself inside my mind I look around until I can find a nearby tree that I think will give me the view I need.

Finding a likely candidate I climb up and cast my eyes about. Yes, from up here I have a clear view of the two wolf dragons. Not only a clear view, also a clear shot.

If these guys want a taste of an ant, I'll first let them sample the products of my commercial plaza!

POW!

Chapter 58 Hunger for Wolf-Dragon

The acid sizzles as it arcs through the air towards the two prowling wolf dragons. It's unfortunate that they had their backs to me and I wasn't able to aim for their faces, still, with a satisfying splash my first salvo hits just above the front left leg of my target.

Just after the first shot strike I launch my second!

POW!

Without time to aim carefully this shot isn't nearly as accurate, catching the second monster on the flank.

Both creatures immediately snarl viciously as the acid begins its deadly work, sticking and hardening even as it begins to eat away into their body.

I'm very satisfied with the first shot, catching the wolf dragon just above its leg will hopefully work well to restrict its mobility, something these monsters have in spades. The second is a little unfortunate but with the time restraints I wasn't prepared to take the risk and potentially miss completely so I aimed for a much broader area.

I don't want to underestimate these creatures, they look powerful and extremely fast, with their long legs and powerfully built bodies I'm sure they would outpace me on open ground. I'm aiming to use my acid to maximum effect by restraining their speed and getting early damage in before they close with me.

Once they recover from their initial shock the two monsters react quickly, springing apart and running into the woods even as they roar as the acid slowly bites into them.

Thankfully the first target I hit is already showing slightly reduced speed, that one leg not moving as freely as it could.

Even as they run the two monsters are constantly scanning their surroundings with all of their senses. Since these guys are part wolf I assume they have inherited a powerful sense of smell. I highly doubt they have those large snouts for nothing!

Fortunately my stealth displays its strength at this moment. I remain as still as possible, maximising the benefit of my skill and the two large monsters are unable to pinpoint my location, even if they have a good idea where the shots came from based on the impact they experienced.

Still as a harmless mouse I wait, perched amongst the branches towards the top of my tree. As I hide, I watch, like a hawk, as the two wolves slow down and start prowling. Rumbling growls are emitted by the two monsters as they stalk the area, hunting for my trail.

Haha!

Exactly as I planned.

Now that my enemies have been kind enough to slow down I once again take careful aim, looking over my shoulder to direct my acid as carefully as possible.

POW!

Bullseye!

The wolf dragon howls in agony as my acid splatters directly into its face, covering its eyes and nose before sticking and hardening, destroying its senses.

Take that you stupid dog!

Swinging its head in frustration the monster tries to swipe away the acid with its paws and when that fails it starts to furiously rub its head into the vegetation and dirt in a frantic effort to remove the hateful stuff.

Sorry wolf, my restrictive acid isn't so easy to get rid of!

My last shot has revealed my location at last and the second hound glares up into the tree, finally locating my form high up in the tree.

Hello down there!

The wolf bunches its legs underneath itself, preparing to leap but then it surprises me, lunging forward and swinging its tail with ferocious force. That strange metallic tail crashes into the tree, at the moment of impact I hear a tremendous crack and before my boggling eyes the trunk of the tree directly shatters.

Holy moly! Are you serious Gandalf?! He smashed straight through this trunk in one strike!

Not that I have time to think about that, I'm falling!

From my vantage point high in the tree I see the tail cleave directly through the trunk and immediately the tree begins to rapidly collapse to the ground. Before the tree hits the ground I throw myself clear of my perch, using all of my legs to push off as hard as I can. I can only hope that I manage to propel myself far enough that I make it clear of the crash zone.

Poor Tiny is thrown from my back as I hit the ground and roll, yelping in indignation as he smacks into the dirt nearby. Hopefully he'll be ok, I don't have enough time to worry about my small ape companion at the present moment since I'm terrified a rather large part wolf, part dragon monster may be about to pounce and smash my head in with its bizarrely potent tail!

However when I finally manage to right myself and take in my surroundings I am once again surprised.

Where the hell did these guys come from?!

Emerging from the forest are the most demonic looking rabbits I have ever seen or imagined. Bristling black fur, gleaming red eyes, savagely muscled frames and instead of the usual charming rabbit front teeth, vicious fangs protrude from a hungry maw.

What's more, there are dozens of them!

Leaping out of the woods the creatures are slightly smaller than me but still larger than a hatchling worker. Immediately they pounce upon the two wolf-dragons, gnawing and biting at the much larger creatures, I even see some jump with their powerful hind legs, turn in the air and deliver powerful kicks to the flanks of the monsters.

Hey! Those are mine!

It seems the sound of combat has drawn out more monsters from the woods to steal the Biomass out from under my very nose! I should probably have expected this. The forest is so packed full of monsters now that fighting almost anywhere is bound to draw more attention.

I'm not prepared to give up my hunt to these pesky poaching rabbits! No matter how evil they look!

Seeing the small horde out rabbits swarming over the larger hounds I know I don't have much time remaining before they manage to overpower the already weakened wolf monsters. I don't have much choice against these sorts of numbers, it's time to summon the colony!

Stopping only to pick up Tiny and make sure he is secure on my back I run back towards the ant hill, dropping a food trail the entire way.

I don't stop when I reach the nest either, I climb all the way up the ant hill and down into the tunnel dropping the trail the entire way. After running down the tunnel a ways I turn and run all the way back, laying down a second layer of pheromones to strengthen the scent, further motivating my fellow workers.

I'm hoping that by running down into the nest I'll be able to attract more of the workers who are deeper in, amassing a larger force more quickly. I need all of the ants I can get as fast as possible!

Bursting out of the top of the hill I sprint back into the woods, overlaying my own trail all of the way. A few workers have already begun sniffing about, making their way along the path but I breeze past them, running at full tilt with Tiny hooting in delight on my back.

Returning to the scene of the battle I see chaos before my eyes. The melee has continued in my absence and the two wolf-dragons are in bad shape, bleeding heavily from a number of small bite wounds all over their bodies.

The rabbits have paid a price though. These wolf-dragons are evolved monsters after all, they need to be respected. The broken bodies of several rabbits can be seen on the ground here and there, torn by claw and fang or smashed to pulp by the incredible strength of those tails.

I don't have time to hesitate, if I wait the rabbits might finish of the prey before I get a chance.

Charge!

I barrel into the fight like a tank, knocking aside the smaller rabbits with my weight and momentum I throw myself forward towards the most heavily wounded wolf monster. The beast is in a terrible state, my acid having burnt into its face resulting in it being almost incapable of defending itself against the predations of the nimble rabbits.

I'll put you out of your misery!

The monster hears me coming and turns to face my onslaught but there is little it can do. Without slowing down I hurl myself directly for the monsters throat, latching on with my mandibles.

Crushing Bite!

Chapter 59 The first war of the hill

I can feel my crushing bite crunch down with sickening force directly on the poor beasts throat, destroying it immediately.

[You have defeated level 4 Crevit Lupus Draco]

[You have gained experience]

[Basic profile of Crevit Lupus Draco unlocked]

[Crevit Lupus Draco, Grown Wolf-Dragon, the evolved form of the cub, this larger, more powerful creature has a greatly increased Might, allowing it to strike brutally with its scaled tail]

Not enough experience to give me a level up but the low level of the monster makes me hopeful it might have given up an evolution and condensed a core, not that I have time to extract it right now.

As soon as I have dealt the final blow to the wolf-dragon I am immediately set upon by a definitively un-fluffy horde of rabbits. I'm not too worried about their assault since I assume that my shiny diamond carapace will repel their efforts, its incredible hardness is Gandalf guaranteed!

I am swiftly disabused of that notion as several rabbits bare their notably long fangs and manage to puncture my shiny hide ever so slightly. What the hell?! I'm supposed to be hard as diamond Gandalf? Is this false advertising?

Small stinging pains can be felt wherever the rabbits have bitten me and I quickly check my status to confirm exactly how much damage I've taken.

Phew!

Thankfully the damage is minimal, just four Hp, but I'm still fairly shocked to see that those fangs are able to defeat my sturdy carapace. This isn't good! Those little buggers are going to be able to rip right into the workers when they arrive!

My concern is a beat too late as lots of workers have responded to my pheromone trail and upon seeing the conflict they immediately throw themselves into battle, rushing forward to latch bite savagely at the first rabbit they see.

Damn workers! Can't you hesitate, even for a second?

Now I'm terrified that my actions here are going to put a significant number of my colony brethren six feet under, not in a digging sense but in a burial one. Dammit Anthony! Get in there and help out your people!

Ignoring the rabbit monsters who are literally hanging off me I turn and charge out of the center of the battle, making my way to where the ants have begun to fight. Tiny starts reaching out with his little fists and pounding the rabbits directly in the face with all the strength he can summon. He doesn't seem to be doing much damage but at least some of the rabbits are irritated enough to let go!

Nice assist there little buddy!

When I reach the side of the ants there I already a steady stream of reinforcements arriving from the hill, roughly twenty ants are here already, moving towards the nearest enemy and latching on immediately with their mandibles, causing many rabbits to shriek painfully and lash out with their powerful hind legs.

I see a few ant hatchlings sent flying before I even get in position to help.

I wince when I hear them crash into the ground, one poor sap even colliding with a tree. I hope they are able to last long enough for the Queen to heal them. I'll take them myself as soon as I'm able!

Once I reach the front line I start to lash out left and right with my mandibles.

Crushing Bite! Crushing Bite!

Two rabbits are immediately heavily wounded when my powerful jaws clamp down on them with vicious force, snapping bones and shredding muscle. I'll leave them to the others to finish off as the fight is quickly escalating. More and more ants are engaging the enemy and the black rabbit monsters are lashing out, causing savage wounds with every bite.

With a little breathing space behind me I turn my head slightly to get a quick look and then blast out another jet of acid, catching an advancing rabbit directly in the chest.

Trying to sneak up on me you little varmint?! Let my acid take a bite out of you!

My unfortunate victim begins to screech in a high pitched whine that immediately grates on my ears. I thought rabbits were supposed to be quiet creatures? Apparently they don't like acid, who knew?

I swear more rabbits have arrived since this combat began, at first I thought I'd only seen around twelve but there must be at least twenty as I hastily survey the field.

The remaining wolf-dragon is snarling a constant low rumbling growl as it continues to lash at the monsters around it with tail and fang. Since all of those monsters are demon rabbits I'll happily leave it to its business and turn my attention back to assisting my fellow ants.

More and more small puncture wounds appear in my carapace as I continue to charge through the combat, acting as a living shield to my smaller brethren. I'm starting to hope that these blasted fangs aren't poisoned or I might really be in trouble!

Crushing bite!

I manage to latch onto a rabbit right around the neck as it was distracted by other workers gathering around it. The creature struggles desperately, kicking out with its powerful hind legs directly into my thorax beneath my head. The impact of the kick rocks me backwards but the shock is readily absorbed by my powerful carapace and I manage to maintain my grip.

Say goodnight, bunny of the burning hells!

CRUNCH.

My two mandibles meet each other in the middle, having shorn through what had before kept them apart.

[You have defeated a level 3 Dens Sanguinem Leporis]

[You have gained experience]

Ignoring the fight continuing immediately around me I take a brief moment to chomp down on the rabbit I just finished off.

[You have consumed a new source of Biomass, Dens Sanguinem Leporis one Biomass awarded]

[Basic Profile of Dens Sanguinem Leporis unlocked]

[Dens Sanguinem Leporis, Blood Tooth Rabbit. This monster is known for its affinity to shadow and the powerful fangs capable of draining health from the victims of its bites]

Wait a minute Gandalf... likes shadows and dark places, long life draining fangs... are you telling me these are vampire rabbits?

I mean...

Really!?

Checking my status I can see that I have lost over twelve Hp so far in this battle, most of it to chip damage from the repeated punctures these damned fanged bunnies have inflicted. Engaging my regeneration gland I welcome the icy burst that washes through my body, closing over holes in my carapace and restoring my Hp to near full.

The battle continues to rage around me. More and more ants are arriving at the battle, perhaps as many as fifty now and the rabbits are finding themselves pressed back as the sheer swarm of the colony is providing more targets than they can comfortably deal with.

Haha! You damn demon rabbits of hades! Behold the power of colony!

Turning I can see three hatchlings battling a rabbit together, each of them latched on with mandibles and pulling at the rabbit, pinning it down and restricting its movement. The three smaller ants are desperately holding on, their legs splayed and claws dug hard into the ground as the stronger rabbit monster thrashes in a wild attempt to set itself free.

I'll help you younguns'. I leap forward and bring my mandibles down on the rabbit in a vicious strike, biting deep into the monsters hide.

[You have defeated level 2 Blood tooth rabbit]

[You have gained experience]

The three hatchlings don't even spare me a glance, let alone a friendly wave of the antennae in thanks before they turn and rush off in search off another target to attack.

I shouldn't have expected any different I suppose...

At this moment, as all around me monstrous insects do vicious battle against large black, red eyed rabbits I had to think that something was truly odd going on in this world.

It is also at this moment that, from the surrounding woods a veritable flood of centipedes breaks into the battle from the surrounding woods.

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Chapter 60 The first war - War never changes

What is this madness Gandalf?! Why on earth are these damnable centipedes barging in here?!

I guess it makes sense when I think about it though, the sounds of monster combat have been ringing through this area of trees for quite a while now, not to mention the powerful smell of the freshest food is permeating the area, filling the air with the rich and delectable scent of Biomass.

This place is basically the underground monster equivalent of a supermarket, its shelves laden with heaped goods, the most ripe produce, delivered direct from the farm, fully organic and ready for consumption.

It's hardly surprising that when the forest is, for whatever reason, pact to bursting with monsters the chaos would attract poachers, frenzied by the very idea of experience and food for the taking. Somewhere nearby there must be a centipede mound, similar to the one I'd preyed upon earlier, because there must be at least thirty of the horrible things here now, slithering and climbing over each other in their desperation to feast.

Perfect, just perfect. All I wanted was to snack on some part wolf part dragon monsters and here we are in some ridiculous melee.

What worries me the most is that this escalation of the battle will only increase the noise and draw even more monsters into the area. The only thing that could possibly make a monster turn a blind eye to this banquet is if a creature with overwhelming strength were to seize control of the field, scaring away competitors with its presence.

If that happens then the colony will miss out on this golden opportunity!

This is feast even larger than what we are able to harvest from the spark chimp tree. The shear wealth of Biomass and experience on offer would fuel the workers to hundreds of mutations, possibly even evolutions! The workers would benefit tremendously, growing in strength and sharpening their skills. Not to mention the food would allow the colony to raise hundreds of new ants.

Greed is exploding in my heart as I take in the sight of the monsters doing ferocious battle. Every single one of them is a bag of Xp and Biomass and I want it all. I want every bit of it.

There is nothing as ravenous as a colony of ants. On Earth regular, tiny ants are so abundant they represent almost 20% of the mass of all animals on the planet. There is no other creature that that consumes more of the world's tiny life forms than ants, they are the terrors of the undergrowth and all things are their food.

Here, in this world, we are larger, capable of feasting not only on the smallest of lifeforms, but on all of them. Every single one of them.

I can almost feel a heat rising in my body as I ponder the possibilities. Is there really anything that can match us here in this world? If my colony is able to grow and reach its full potential, is there anything that could resist us?

The colony right now is only a few hundred ants, only a single Queen.

What if there were five, six Queens. What if there were hundreds of thousands of workers? Millions? Billions?

We could sweep these caverns clean. An unstoppable wave of monsters that would carry all before it.

I'm not really a violent person, surely I wasn't in my past life, but now that I'm an ant and the colony has become my home I want them to survive. Not just survive, but to thrive, to reach their full potential. It could start here, right now.

As the centipedes crash into the back of the conflict, sandwiching the unfortunate rabbits between them and the ants I start to drop the emergency pheromone all around me. Instantly the nearby workers pick up the signal and start to copy me, blanketing the area with the scent. My antennae immediately explode with sensation as the same signal pounds into my senses over and over again.

Emergency! Battle! Defend the colony! Summon the workforce! Emergency!

The entire area is saturated with the message, I even see workers disengage from the battle to run back to the ant hill, spreading the trail all the way back to the top of the hill and down into the tunnels. Every worker will pick up the message, even those tending to the brood and the Queen. The Queen herself might even appear, much as she did last time.

It's definitely a risk if she were to come here. If she were set upon by gargoyles from above or even a giant bruiser like Tiny was or the Titan-Croc, I'm not sure if she would be able to survive, I've no idea how capable she is in combat after all.

But it's worth it! If we can win here and take all that is on offer here it will explode the colonies strength and supercharge its growth! We need to roll the dice!

Invigorated by the incredible opportunity that has dropped itself into my lap I return to battle with renewed purpose. The ants on the fringes of the fight have begun to unload their acid bombardment over our heads, targeting the newly arrived centipedes on the other side of the fight. Blast after blast of sizzling acid streaks through the air, falling like rain on the centipede horde.

The rabbits are in a frenzy, pinned between two hostile monstrous swarms they have no option except to fight their way to survival and they battle with renewed ferocity, biting savagely at ant at centipede alike.

In the midst of the fray the remaining wolf-dragon continues its rampage, completely surrounded by smaller monsters that bite and pull at it, trying to drag it to the ground, the larger beast responds with vicious swings of its tail, sending the unevolved monsters flying through the air with every swat of its tail.

I charge back into the swirling midst of the battle, ants climbing over each other and on my back at the frontline constantly bite, pulling at the rabbits and dragging them down. I lash out to my left and right every time I see a target, using my crushing bite exclusively.

Since these rabbit monsters have no hard external defence the crushing bite is definitely the skill that will yield me the most damage per bite. Every time my mandibles clamp down, biting deep into soft flesh, the rabbits howl and screech but their pleas fall on deaf ears as the unstoppable tide of ants continues to push forward.

Every now and again the xp notification comes through, the gruff yet soothing voice of Gandalf letting me know that one of victims was finished off by my strike.

As I continue to press forward and bite I can gradually feel my stamina being drained away, making me more and more tired. Ever since I first saw my mandibles glowing with power I wondered where that energy came from, if there was some sort of cost associated with my active skills.

It seems I was correct to think so but only now biting dozens of times in such short succession have I been able to directly feel the energy draining out of me. It's my stamina! With every snap of my mandibles I can feel myself getting more and more tired.

But I won't stop! Until all of this Biomass has been claimed for the colony I refuse to stop!

[Crushing Bite has reached level 6]

[Crushing bite has reached level 7]

Dammit! Just how many of these stupid things are there!?

The rabbits have been defeated, their beady red eyes are all lifeless on the ground as the centipede and ant armies continue to clash over the top of their remains. At the rear of the battle ants are extracting wounded and dragging them back to a temporary holding pile at the base of the hill, waiting for transport down to the Queen.

Some of the wounded are so desperate to fight they try to drag themselves back to the front with whatever limbs they have left, one nearly legless hatchling I saw trying to pull itself back to the battle using only its mandibles!

The emergency pheromones have summoned almost all of the workforce to the fight, over one hundred monstrous ants have answered the call, emerging from deep in the nest to do battle in the name of the colony.

Every time fresh recruits arrive at the scene they immediately unload all of their available acid onto the enemy before they advance to the front lines. Due to their assistance we now outnumber the centipedes significantly, almost two to one. The fighting is so hot and close that the centipedes are struggling to utilise their most deadly weapon, their poison sting. With the two sides pressed so close together, climbing over each other to fight it's too hard for them to raise their tail section high enough to strike forward, giving the ants yet another advantage.

We can win!

Chapter 61 The first War - War is Mother to us all

As soon as my confidence was beginning to rise, just when I though victory had been secured, that was the exact moment I was thrown back into the pit of despair.

It always seems to work like that, doesn't it Gandalf?

I continue to support my colony brethren in the battle for our future. I'm totally exhausted by this point, having bitten so many times the muscles in my face are completely sore. What's even more irritating is that, in order to support my fellow workers as much as possible I've been deliberately wounding my enemies but not taking the extra time to finish them off before moving on to the next target, leaving the crippled victims behind for the rest of the ants to deal with.

Despite my best efforts there have definitely been casualties on the ants side. Without an upgraded carapace like mine their defences were like paper in the face of the rabbit's fangs and some were instantly killed when receiving a bite to the head.

Others have fallen to the centipede's claws and jaws, battling in places I couldn't see or reach in time. My heart is heavy knowing that some of my own siblings have been laid to rest as a result of my own actions. I have to comfort myself with the knowledge that victory will benefit the colony as a whole tremendously, and that is the goal the workers truly strive for at all times.

However, almost as if mocking me, the ground begins to shudder beneath my feet. Powerful vibrations rattle through the ground over and again, surely in response to some rather tremendous feet.

Please don't tell me...

My despair takes material form when crashing through the trees in an appearance worthy of a final boss is a massive Titan-Croc, flanked on either side by two Croca-beasts, almost like henchmen following their leader.

Why are you stupid monsters so organised in such a dumb way all of a sudden?!

The new arrivals growl menacingly, the rumbles vibrating the air so powerful they send my antennae dancing. The lead Titan-Croc surveys the field of lesser monsters with discernible greed lighting up his eyes. Even for an evolved creature like him, the sheer amount of food here will be enough to fuel his mutation, as well as the two following him.

Lured by the noise and the aroma of Biomass these big baddies have arrived to wrap up the battle and stake their claim over the food here. Not many monsters would be willing to battle such colossal powerhouses, what kind of suicidal creature would take on those kinds of odds?

THIS ANT RIGHT HERE.

I refuse to surrender the spoils of war! The colony has already sacrificed precious workers in this battle and I refuse to see us walk away with nothing to show for it because a few fat crocodiles turned up!

The only thing that has changed is the menu!

Of course, completely exhausted and punctured with minor wounds, I have no idea how I'm supposed to deal with these powerful monsters. The Titan-Croc alone could probably fireball us all to hell, not to mention when he has help!

I barely have enough acid in the tank for a single shot...

Then I see something.

At this moment, salvation is delivered.

In hour darkest hour, she will be the light.

From the corner of my eye I can see the top of the ant hill begin to shudder, as if a large monster were pushing through the tunnel inside. The very top of the hill shakes, some of the loose dirt collapsing inwards and more spilling out, rolling down the slope as the shaking and shuddering becomes more and more pronounced.

Bursting from the top of the hill comes an enormous ant, her long antennae swinging angrily through the air as she clacks her massive mandibles threateningly.

With another heave the ant pulls the rest of her body from the tunnel which was never dug wide enough for her to move through easily. When the colony was threatened she once again ignored her guards and rushed to the battle!

Easily five times my size the Queen looks down on the battle imperiously from the top of the hill, her antennae already beginning to surge with healing light.

Mother is here! And she looks pissed...

It's true, her eyes have a dangerous glint in them as she takes in the scene, the pile of wounded struggling ants at the foot of the hill and the deadly struggle continuing within the trees where ants and centipedes continue to clash violently.

Then she looks at the huge interlopers, still eyeing off the battle and awaiting their moment to strike.

I'm nervous now. If the Queen is killed here then everything will be lost! I wasn't too concerned when only rabbits and centipedes were about since I didn't think they'd be able to harm her majesty at all, but it's different now.

The Croca-beast may not be up to the task but the Titan surely is.

Come to think of it though, I really have no idea how strong the Queen is in a fight...

I mean, her primary purpose is to lay eggs, which isn't exactly a combat role, she also has specialised in a healing magic, which again doesn't lend itself to direct combat.

I'm really worried!

Mother doesn't seem to share my concerns as she chitters angrily and after a brief moment of concentration releases her powerful healing spell. A wave of light rolls out from her antennae, flowing over the ground and encompassing all of the ants in the wounded pile before rushing into the forest like the tide.

The healing energy laps against me like the waters of a river and I greedily drink it in, recharging my energy and healing my small wounds, restoring my Hp.

All around me the workers are being healed and reenergised, throwing themselves into the fight with renewed frenzy. This wave of healing has stamped an end to the hopes of the centipedes in this conflict, already outnumbered the return of injured ants to the combat has only tilted things further against them. Their snapping claws sound despondent and hopeless where before they were aggressive and vicious, almost as if they can sense their impending doom.

The three large interlopers, the Croca-Beasts and their apparent leader, the Titan-Croca have seen enough. With the combat reaching an end they want to sweep away whatever resistance remains and claim the Biomass for themselves.

Their indignation is almost palpable as they watch a few small worker hatchlings starting to drag away the food, a few rabbit bodies are already being taken over to the nest from the back of the battle. Looking at their furious eyes I can almost hear them smirking as they think "How dare these puny monsters take away our Biomass! Know your place, midgets!"

Up yours Croc! I will let you experience the shout of my soul!

As the massive Titan-Croc rears back to his full height and steps forward through the trees his two subordinate henchmen advance on his flanks, looking like little bullies attaching themselves to a larger one.

For some reason it really bothers me to see these damn Crocs cooperating. Since when did this sort of thing happen?

Aren't you guys supposed to be the lonely kings of the jungle sort of thing?!

As they advance forward toward the fight I try to blend in with the rest of the workforce, gradually pushing myself towards the massive beasts through the bustling crowd of workers. As I do so I reach internally with my mind, grasping hold of the vaporous energies within my core.

With the force of my mind alone I direct my mana to flow out, concentrating it into a tight ball in my throat. As the monsters draw closer, powerful fangs gleaming in the brilliant light of the forest I continue to force more and more energy out of my core and into the powerfully swirling marble of mana I've formed within me.

Idly I wonder what might happen to my head if I were to lose control of the mana as I draw it out and condense it.

Best not to consider it really...

[Mana Shaping has reached level 2]

[Forceful Mana has reached Level 2]

Oh ho! Even in this situation I can't help but be a little excited at my mana skills improving. Immediately I can feel the process of shifting and condensing the mana become slightly easier. It isn't much but every little bit helps

In my peripheral vision I can see the Queen, unsatisfied with merely healing the colony has begun to advance down the hill towards the battle.

I can't help but think things are going to get very dicey in a moment.

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Chapter 62 The first War - Winner takes it all

The pressure continues to build within my throat, the small spherical mass of mana is becoming tighter and tighter, the dense energy fluctuating and spinning wildly as more and more mana is forced into it.

I'm reaching the limits of my tolerance, I have to act soon!

I can see the Queen advancing into the forest, her personal swarm of guards being forced to move with her. It's clear that she intends to personally enter the battle and defend her colony against these large interlopers.

I think if these damned Croca beasts hadn't shown up she would probably have been content to just release her healing spell and then retreat back into the nest, but with such a large portion of her workforce under threat she must feel compelled to act.

A caring mother, striding into battle for her children... It's very moving Gandalf! And no I'm not crying! I can't cry, I'm an ant, but within, I am deeply moved by this maternal devotion.

For the moment I'll gloss over that this situation is entirely my fault...

On my back Tiny has continued to survey the battlefield, hooting aggressively at our foes and occasionally lashing out with his little fists whenever he could locate a target. I'm impressed the little fellow has managed to maintain his seat all this time, it couldn't have been easy in the swirling melee.

I'm drawing closer and closer to the Titan-Croc even as they are drawing closer and closer to me. They've almost reached the ants now, just a few more meters and those claws will begin to reap a dark harvest of ant experience. I won't let it happen!

Suddenly accelerating I charge forward out of the pack, brushing aside my fellow workers in my mad rush to reach the crocodiles before they are able to act. I want to draw their attention away from the colony as much as possible, I have to be fast!

Go!

My force mana sphere is as dense as I can make it, no matter how I try I can't force any more energy into it. It is wildly spinning inside me, a tiny, ultra-dense, hot fog of mana just begging to be released.

As I reach the edge of the field I climb onto the back of a nearby worker and leap into the air. Directly before my face the Titan-Croc looms. Cruel eyes stare directly into mine. Massive jaws part to reveal a wealth of barbed teeth, ready to snap out my life.

Delivered to you fresh like the cold mountain winds, receive the shout of my people!

Opening my mouth I finally release the energy I've contained within . Like a bullet from a gun, like a directed explosion, the mana bursts out with irresistible force, as if I shot a cannonball from my mouth.

Time seems to slow down in this moment. Or perhaps my perception speeds up. The chaotic motion all around me stills and the small details become larger and larger in my eyes. I can see the huge bulk of the Titan-Croc in front of me as I float through the air, it's maw opening wide, ropes of saliva clinging to each tooth, ready to crunch down on this meal that has delivered itself by airmail directly.

The two Croca-Beasts on either side ignore me, preparing to advance into the horde of ants with claws bared, their arms are already being drawn back, thick cables of muscle bulging beneath their scales.

Behind me the workers continue to battle the centipedes, a ferocious melee of insect vs insect in all of its savage glory. Only a few workers have responded to the impending threat of Croca-beast, I can see their antennae slowly twitching in the air as they turn to face this new threat, no fear or shock showing in their faces, only dedication.

Then the magic is released.

A concussive force erupts, bursting into the air with the power of a battering ram. With my heightened senses in this moment I can see the very air itself warping and twisting around the fearsome energy.

It was difficult to aim after leaping into the air so my blast doesn't smash into the Titan-Croc's mouth as I'd hoped but rather cannons into its chest.

At that moment of impact, I could see the change come over the monster's face, an ever so slight flicker of surprise registering in the eyes.

Then the strange sensation of time slowing ends.

And the Titan-Croc catapults away into a tree like a crocodilic missile.

The tree shatters in half as the enormous mass of monster crashes into it like a thunderbolt. The burst of noise is deafening.

Then silence.

Then Gandalf.

[You have slain level 12 Crescente Gula Garralosh]

[You have gained experience]

[You have reached level 8]

...

One hit... KO?

Are you kidding me?!

The Titan-Croca lies amidst the broken remnants of the shattered tree, unmoving. The monster's massive chest appears to have been caved in, as if struck by a giant's hammer. The two smaller Croca-Beasts are wearing an expression that could only be the heartless monster equivalent of shock.

I land on my feet before them, looking up at their crocodile faces.

They look down at me, not seeming to quite understand what it is they are looking at.

Then Mother arrives.

Moving with the irresistible power of a freight train the Queen crashes into the Croca-Beast on my left. Her immense jaws immediately scissor the Croca-Beast across its mid-section, directly cutting the dreadful monster in half!

Holy heck Mother?! How much Biomass did you spend upgrading your mandibles? They look sharper than mine!

After defeating the first Croca-Beast so decisively the Queen turns toward the second, her powerful mandibles clicking ominously, covered in ichor. The monsters in this place do not know the word retreat and the remaining Croca-Beast shows no sign of backing down. I don't know if these creatures are incredibly brave or just immensely stupid but they do not retreat.

The Queen doesn't slow down, aggressively advancing towards the final monster, who roars and swings one powerful claw towards the larger creature. The Queen doesn't even react, allowing the claws to rake into her carapace. The force of that impact would have sent me flying but she doesn't budge, cold eyes staring down at the Croca-Beast with contempt.

Only when the Croca draws back its arms do I see that the blow hasn't even left a mark on the shiny dark carapace of Mother. Exactly how highly upgraded is this Queen?!

Then I remember the dedicated workers, constantly battling for food and returning as much of it as possible to the nest for the Queen to eat, not only giving her the energy to produce the young but also allowing her to take in ferocious amounts of Biomass.

There is no doubt she is the most highly mutated member of the colony, probably possessing many mutation advanced to boot. For whatever reason her advancements seem to be the less ostentatious kind as I can't really see a visible difference in her carapace or mandibles yet they are clearly immensely strong.

Not wasting the opportunity given by the opponents reckless strike, Mother opens her jaws wide and plunges them down, all of her crushing weight behind the strike. Even the powerful Croca-Beast is no match for the Queen in a contest in strength and is smashed into the ground, pinned by those potent mandibles.

After adjusting her grip slightly, Mother puts the beast out of its misery...

...

So strong!

What the hell was that?! I don't think even the Titan-Croc would have been able to resist her strength for long. I had no idea you were so strong Mother!

The Queen doesn't seem too fazed by the experience, standing tall once again she surveys the battlefield with her cool, imperious gaze. Merely being in her presence has driven the workforce into a frenzy, redoubling their efforts and driving the centipedes completely into the dirt. The battle is all but over, many workers already having switched to transport duty, moving injured ants out of the fight and breaking up food for transport back to the nest.

We've won! The spoils of war shall be ours!

When the Queen spots me dancing in triumph in front of her she makes her way over to me, suddenly casting her immense shadow over my face.

Uh, hi? How are you Mother? ...

Raising one powerful foreleg the Queen suddenly slaps me on the head. Not hard enough to injure me but certainly enough to smack my head down into the ground and make my brain spin.

Before I can recover myself she has already turned and started to make her way back to the nest, a detachment of workers following her every move.

Did I... Did I just get told off by Mother?

This is quite depressing!

I think I can understand why. Despite the fact that this victory will provide the fuel that will ignite the colonies engine, at least thirty workers have laid their lives down here. Those thirty workers would still be alive if not for me starting a fight so close to the nest, drawing in the workforce and being unable to contain the conflict.

The other thing I hadn't considered, is that although this food might allow the Queen to lay many eggs, there are now thirty less workers to help hunt for them, feed them and care for them, which will stretch the remaining workforce right to the limit.

Sigh...

I hope the Queen isn't too mad. I'm definitely reflecting on my mistakes...

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Chapter 63 Core concern

The aftermath of a monster battle is a fairly gruesome place, especially when it's ants picking over the field.

This area of the forest has a veritable carpet of deceased monsters. Black furred rabbits mixed with centipedes and the two wolf-dragons cover the ground. On top of them the ants make another layer, bustling with insect urgency. Their job is now the rather messy work of butchery. Most of these workers are still hatchlings, only a few having evolved into mature workers like me. This means they can't carry an entire monster body back into the nest in one go, instead they are forced to break up the food and transport it in pieces.

All around me this somewhat distasteful work is being done, workers using their mandibles to carve away at the food at then lifting their prize and merrily sprinting off towards the nest in order to make their delivery as quickly as possible and return for more.

Even with over sixty workers here it is going to take a little while before the work is done.

With the Queen now having retreated back to the nest I've decided to stick around until the workers have completed their task. If more monsters come to act the vulture and try to steal our hard won prize I want to be here to help defend it. I didn't work this hard and make the Queen mad just to risk losing everything we worked for!

Still, looking over the remains of the battlefield I feel a slight sense of accomplishment. Each of those monster bodies represents experience that has been funnelled into the workers already, fuelling their growth and bringing more and more of them closer to evolution.

As long as the colony can last until the next generation emerges then we will be in a tremendous spot, growing explosively and becoming much safer.

Tiny has already leapt from my back and started to feast, his little hands shovelling the Biomass into his face with incredible speed.

Slow down there little buddy.. You might get a stomach ache.

I'm pleased to see his increased appetite, the sooner he grows and begins to show the fearsome strength of the monster I took the core from the better off we'll be. Recalling that his core came from creature strong enough to go toe to toe with a Titan-Croc makes me hopeful that Tiny will be able to exert that same kind of strength in the future.

With all of the monsters here focused on the Biomass I have a different prize in my sights.

There are a few large, evolved monsters here and I am desperately hoping that they will have some cores for me. I refuse to evolve without maxing out my core!

I move over to the two wolf-dragons first and begin chewing through them, not just gaining Biomass but also hunting for a possible core. My own core is deep within the center of my body and it has been thereabouts in every monster I've found it in so far, so I have to eat my way down to find it.

I gain two Biomass from the first before I decide there probably isn't a core and rather than finish it off I rush to the other one, pushing a few workers out of the way in order to secure my place to hunt for that precious sphere.

[You have gained Biomass]

[Compatible monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]

Bwhahahaha!

The prize is mine!

Even if I have the Core Mechanic skill I'm not willing to waste any monster core on practicing it until I have achieved my most important goal, the maxed out core!

Absorb that core!

As the core melts into the air I can feel the energy flowing into my own, strengthening and enlarging it, increasing its capacity to store the mana that infuses this world.

Excellent!

Keep hustling Anthony, there is more to go!

Having checked both of the wolf-dragons I now abandon the center of the battle and sprint over to where a few workers are starting to pick over the Croca-beasts.

Mine, mine, mine, mine!

Pushing aside a few workers I greedily dive into the first Croca-Beast, this one was the first monster the Queen directly cut in half, making it fairly easy to look for the core. After barely eating at all I decide their isn't any core to be had and I hustle over the to the next one.

Hopefully my worker brethren don't feel I'm being too greedy ... If I can evolve with a fully maxed core I'll be able to repay the investment many fold! Forgive me guys.

[You have gained Biomass]

[Compatible monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]

Yessssss!

Reinforce Dat Core!

Once again the pleasant stretching sensation occurs as my core absorb more energy, growing more dense and larger. The power!

With this my Max Mp has reached 40, which is double what I was able to sustain before evolving. I kind of expect that this means I've reached my maximum?

Only one way to find out. Crossing my metaphorical toes I move towards the remains of the Titan-Croc. The body lies leaning against the stump of the shattered tree, it's chest a broken ruin.

I cannot believe I was able to fell such a massive creature in one blow. The power of Forceful Mana is not to be underestimated! It may be a little cumbersome to use in a fight right now, but as I get more and more level and my core becomes stronger, what sort of power will I be able to unleash?

My mind is boggling!

Concentrate on the present Anthony! Control your drool, man!

I tentatively approach the Titan-Croc. I almost can't believe that it's dead. I feel like the massive creature could just open its eyes and start wrecking my face at any moment.

It's impossible though, the all-seeing voice of Gandalf spoke to me, the beast is surely dead. The whole situation just feels so unreal I guess. It wasn't long ago I riding on the coat tails of one of these monsters, depending on it for safety and feeding on a few scraps it left behind.

Now I have conquered one and will feast on Biomass!

No need to hesitate any further, dig in!

[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Crescente Gula Garralosh, you are awarded one Biomass]

[Basic profile of the Crescente Gula Garralosh unlocked]

[Crescente Gula Garralosh: Growing Maw Garralosh, The evolved form of the infant Garralosh this still growing offspring of the Garralosh has reached its development stage. Able to convert mana to fire, beware of the fireballs released from its mouth]

What the hell?

Are you telling me that this enormous monster, the beast of nightmare that I have dubbed the "Titan-Croc", is still in its development stage?! Exactly how stupidly massive are these damn things supposed to get Gandalf?!

And again with the Garralosh! All of these damnable crocodiles are the offspring of a single monster? Is this thing like the croc version of Godzilla?! How would something that big even more through the tunnels down here?

Gah, I don't even want to guess. I still have very little idea what lies in the tunnels beneath this place, for all I know, if you go deeper you'll find even larger open spaces than this, huge open areas the size of continents. Why the hell not?! I didn't think an underground area like this one could possibly exist but here I am, chewing on a giant croc-monster right underneath a sparkly glowing tree with purple leaves.

So who knows?

I'm not going to try and prejudge what I might see anymore. I've been shocked so many times I no longer see the point.

[You have gained Biomass]

Thanks Gandalf. Nice to be kept informed.

[Compatible Special monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]

Ah wha?

Special Monster core? What the heck is that?

After thinking for a moment I decide to dig out the core and take a look at it. After a more minutes of chomping I'm able to free the core and drag it out with my mandibles.

It's frickin huge.

What the hell is with this core?! It's massive! Easily larger than the core that birthed Tiny even!

This Titan-Croc must have reinforced the heck out of his core for it to reach this tremendous size. I'm absolutely gobsmacked.

I can't be exactly sure how large my own core is but I'm certain it cannot be even close to half the size, maybe it's a fifth as large?

According to Gandalf I can absorb this bad boy. Seems bizarre that a core this large is still compatible... is it because the Titan-Croc has also only evolved once?

I feel a little nervous about this. It should be fine... right?

Uh... Reinforce my core?

[Your core has already reached maximum capacity for your level of evolution. Absorbing the special core will take you beyond this limit. Do you still wish to proceed?]

What the heck Gandalf?! So talkative all of a sudden? Why can't you just give me information at a time that isn't the last possible second!?

So my core has actually already capped out at 40 MP as I thought it might. For some reason this core is special and will allow me to further improve my core beyond the normal limit?

Doesn't this just mean that my evolution will be even further fuelled next time?

Maybe there is a down side to absorbing the core now. Perhaps I'll only be able to draw limited benefit from the core, say only increasing my max MP by four points, whereas if I waited until after I evolved to absorb it I could take the full benefit and get eight.

It still seems worth it to take the core now. Knowing that a stronger monster core means more energy to fuel evolution ... I just can't turn it down.

Reinforce my core Gandalf!

Chapter 64 Right to the core

The enormous core, looking like a lustrous dark pearl, slowly begins to dissolve into the air before me. As it does so the solid matter that makes it is released as energy that swirls and flows in the air, tiny particles dancing and spinning. Each individual particle eventually meets another and then those two meet another and in this way the individual dots of energy become grouped into flowing streams that trail each other.

Eventually these streams begin to be drawn towards me, flowing directly through my physical self as if it weren't there and being drawn towards my core. As they grow closer the energy acts almost as if it were water circling the drain, looping around the core in wide circles at first before the loop draws tighter and the flow faster, increasing in pace the closer it gets.

As the energy finally begins meet my more I can feel the spherical gem begin to grow, greedily absorbing every particle of light that touches it, using that energy to construct itself anew.

More and more energy is flowing with every second, growing faster still as the enormous core continues to dissolve, releasing all of its potential.

The spinning energy is no longer like a bath drain and more like a raging whirlpool. A veritable ocean of power being drawn deep into my core.

It hurts!

As my core expands further and further a dull pain begins to throb in my abdomen. Distant at first and then sharper with each passing moment.

I clench my mandibles and brace myself against it. C'mon Anthony! You can take it!

More. More. MORE.

The pain continues to build until it is agony! My core is a screaming mass of pain, ultra-dense and far larger than it should be for a creature of my strength.

I can feel that deep inside, my core is unstable. Growing too quickly and holding too much energy. Damn it hurts!

Finally the Titan-Croc's immense core is completely gone but the pain remains. The ripping agony flares every few seconds, causing me to almost collapse.

Even Tiny has noticed something is wrong, coming over to place a gentle paw on my back. Thanks little buddy. That's real nice.

OUCH.

Damn this core! I don't recall Gandalf mentioning the searing agony involved when pushing your core beyond you evolution level!

With my willpower being sapped by fighting off this pain I can't do much. Blearily I check my status and the result shocks me into alertness again.

MP 11/50!

Fif... FIFTY?

No wonder the whole process was so painful, my core is literally a full 25% larger than a body at my level of evolution is supposed to be able to handle!

Even though this process continues to cause such terrible sensations within me, I can't help but be excited for what this could mean for my next evolution. Will new, rare options be unlocked? Or could I just gain a heck more evolutionary energy to spend upgrading my stats... perhaps this will provide enough for me to afford that subsidiary brain for magic!

I've managed to amass seven points of Biomass so far from this battlefield but looking at the remains of the Titan-Croc, I've barely managed to touch it.

I'm in so much pain that I seriously don't want to eat any more, frankly I don't want to do anything anymore. I need a sleep.

But I force myself to keep working.

I refuse to let this wealth of Biomass just go to the colony completely. They can have the rest, but this Titan-Croc is mine. I'm allowed to be this selfish, right?

I'll conveniently ignore that I gobbled up all of the cores from the large monsters at this point...

With Tiny helping me along I limp towards another tree near the Titan-Croc and begin to excavate a temporary nest. I would normally just drag this food back to our own little chamber within the colony but right now I don't think I have the strength.

The excavate upgrade shows its power here and I'm able to dig out a surprisingly roomy chamber beneath the tree relatively quickly.

With that job done I drag myself over to the remains and start the unpleasant job of breaking it up into pieces and then burying them in my new hiding hole. The carcass is so large it takes almost an hour to complete this job and several times I have to chase of a few workers coming over to grab a bite.

By the time I'm finished the flaring agony I had experienced has receded to a lesser but consistent pain that batters at my mind constantly.

Ugh... I hate thiiiiis.

The busy workforce has also completed their mission, transporting all of the Biomass down into the main nest to be consumed there and fed to the brood.

After one more look at the now bare area around me I drag myself down into the chamber and once Tiny has joined me I close over the entrance.

The long battle has finally ended and the colony has been victorious. Time for a nap.

Zzzzzzzz.

I'm UP!

Several hours later I startle myself out of torpor, snapping awake in an instant.

Phew! Good sleep!

The pain of my core has continued to fade over my nap and has now been downgraded to persistent ache. I can probably attribute this to my insides being squashed by the larger than intended core occupying too much real estate in there.

Not to worry! As soon as I evolve it'll be nice and snug in there once again.

Looking at Tiny gradually shaking himself awake I can see he has grown again after stuffing his face yesterday. Honestly I think he's grown a little too large to comfortably fit on my back, which is a little sad, but I'm glad he's managing to get larger and stronger.

You'll prove yourself useful eventually you little ape!

Now that my core has reached its maximum potential and then a bit more I don't really begrudge him the core I spent to bring him to life anymore. It all worked out in the end and I got a little monkey buddy for my trouble.

My mind now turns to the business at hand, namely, continuing to eat this Biomass! I've resolved that until all of this Croca has been consumed, Tiny and I will live the shut-in lifestyle! We won't leave until the meal is over!

I estimate we'll be able to fill ourselves up at least once more, possibly twice, before the food is entirely gone.

C'mon Tiny! Time to dig in.

...

Om nom nom.

...

Gah! I'm stuffed! Tiny is looking so full he's practically a monkey basketball! That's another seven Biomass in the tank!

Such riches!

Since we are so full, the ape and I decide to just sleep again, a well-deserved holiday after our efforts.

When we awake we finish off the food and I gain another four Biomass.

Rest in peace Titan-Croca, I will never forget the mutations you allowed me to gain.

Checking my status I have amassed a ridiculous eighteen points of Biomass!

This is so many points I almost don't know what to do with it!

Settle down Anthony... Let's start planning out the costs now.

I need nine points to max out my antennae, so there goes half of my wealth immediately.

Then I have another nine whole points to spend. I can upgrade my regeneration gland to four with my remaining points. I really like the regeneration and have already promised myself to prioritise it. So this will leave me with two points remaining.

I guess I could spend those on either pheromones or legs...

Legs would be useful in general, running around, climbing, these are all things I do constantly. Pheromones will help me with managing the colony and workers. I mean, an extra 1 isn't going to make a huge difference to either choice so I'm not too concerned.

I think I'll take pheromones. The ability to move the workforce faster, even by just a second, could be critical at some point. Not to mention, we are going to need a lot of food to keep growing the colony. The more successfully we can hunt the better off we all are.

[Would you like to upgrade Antennae to 5, Regeneration Gland to 4 and Pheromones to 2? This will cost eighteen Biomass]

Heck yeah!

[At this level you can choose an mutation advancement, please select from the menu]

Here we go!

Once again the dizzying number of options unfolds in my mind like a flower. There is always such a ridiculous number of suggestions!

What on earth am I supposed to pick?!

Enhanced sense Antennae for an empowered sense of smell? Sounds handy. Bladed Antennae, equipping each antennae with a bladed tip and turning them into weapons?! Holy heck! Precognitive Antennae, sensing vibrations from a moment in the future? Are you frickin' kidding me?!

There are a few that tickle my fancy, such as the mana detection antennae, allowing the appendages to sense the flow of mana, but I already have a skill that will hopefully be able to perform the same job. Another choice improves the strength of any magical energy that is channelled through the Antennae, I can't help but wonder if the Queen selected this upgrade...

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