Chapter 84 The gravity of the situation
Even after nearly a day my gravitational energy gland is still not full. With my sub-brain offering a heightened awareness of all things core related I can tell that there has been a steady drip of mana flowing out of my core and into the new gland.
The conversion rate seems to be very slow, the gland is only thirty percent full after slowly charging since my evolution. Even with my core as enhanced as it is, it has been unable to provide enough mana to fill up the gland.
I'm starting to think that gravitational energy is actually super hard to make. At my current rate it would take several days for the gland to be fully charged from empty. I don't know if that would be the case for every type of energy. I suspect that if I had chosen fire or one of the other elemental selections then the process of converting mana to the particular energy type would not nearly be so slow.
It's possible other types of energy are even more demanding, time and space are potentially just as difficult. However the slow rate of charge actually reinforces my confidence that this was a good choice. If it was easy to do then I would have just waited until I could have done it manually myself, there would be no need to invest a precious body upgrade to achieve this result. Since Gravity magic appears to be so difficult then the choosing to shortcut the process of converting raw mana into gravity energy is well worth it!
With my sub-brain helping reduce the strain I continue to draw out the energy from my new gland and pack it tightly into a tiny ball that sits in my throat. The energy flows like immaterial water, hundreds of small streams leaving the gland and twisting through my body before they are caught by the rapidly growing ball.
Thanks to the reduced effort I'm able to keep a better eye on my surroundings during the process. Concealed high in my tree and remaining still my stealth skill is able to properly display its full potential, I'm not concerned that I'll be detected. Tiny however, is becoming increasingly difficult to hide. The ape is getting larger with every meal, he currently looms over me even after my evolution. He's achieved roughly half of his full grown size at this point. On the one hand I'm glad that he is getting stronger, on the other hand we want to hide more than we want to fight right now!
He's doing his best, I'll give him that. In my nearly 360 degrees of vision I can see him behind me, curled into a ball, resting on the intersection of the branch and trunk. It looks like he has snapped a leafy branch off and is holding it in front of his body to try and conceal his muscular, gorilla like frame.
The idea itself isn't bad but he's chosen such a tiny branch that he is barely covered at all. Overall the effect reminds me a person trying to cover their privates with a fig leaf.
Still, it appears as if he put some thought into it, which is a win?
From the mound a centipede sticks its nose out of a hole and quickly peeks about before retreating out of sight. I think these creatures are also finding it difficult to hunt in the current forest. Where once upon a time roving gangs of five centipedes were enough to threaten most things, the number of larger and more threatening beasts is constantly growing. One of those Lion Ogres would thrash a dozen unevolved centipedes without an issue.
My guess is the centipedes in this mound are clustering together and leaping on any prey that approaches too close to their nest using their full numbers to suppress the foe.
Which means that the number of the little crawlers inside the mound is extremely high.
Excellent.
As more mana pours into the force ball a qualitative change occurs. I can already tell that the gravitational energy doesn't quite feel the same as normal, raw mana. The colour is certainly different. Normal mana is an intense, bright blue but this energy is a deep purple. In my mental awareness I can see the ball of dense power growing darker as it becomes more compact.
Then, with an almost audible sound the force ball ... changes. From a small, tightly packed energy cloud it suddenly shrinks and congeals itself into a perfectly spherical, rapidly rotating ball. The colour has become so deep as to be almost black. As soon as the change happens the pressure on my mind to control the process has doubled! The energy in my gland roars out in a constant stream, almost against my will, as it gets pulled into the sphere faster and faster.
Soon the ball appears almost like a spiral galaxy in my mind's eye, the flowing mana caught in the irresistible pull of gravity as it circles around the sphere in tighter circles before finally merging with it. With each passing moment the sphere grows imperceptibly larger and the pull on my mana becomes more powerful!
What the heck is this?!
Have I made a mana black hole or what?! I have to frantically focus all of the mental energy I can summon from both of my brains in order to maintain even a semblance of control over the energy. If I lost concentration for even a second I'm not sure what would happen as all of the mana packed into the sphere would slip out of my control!
[Forceful Mana has reached level 3]
Not now dammit! Claws crossed this skill improves my control and not the speed that the mana is compressed!
When the last faint trails of gravitational energy have been drawn out of my gland I can feel the almost unstoppable pull begin to affect the mana inside my core. Not good!
If I don't release this damn thing it's going to drain me completely dry of mana, even if I don't want it to.
I open my mouth wide.
The centipede mound is perfectly still before me.
The dense ball of mana, so deep is the purple now it appears to a fathomless black, gradually becomes still.
I bring all my will to bear on the sphere, forcing with every ounce of mental strength. This is far more difficult than the normal force mana ball. I feel like I'm shifting a mountain with my bare hands!
Slowly, minutely, the sphere begins to move. With every moment I continue to exert my mind it accelerates out of my throat and then out of my mouth.
BAM!
Like a dam breaking, once the momentum has risen from a trickle to a stream it suddenly explodes into a torrent.
As soon as the gravity sphere leaves my mouth a high pitched shrieking sound shatters the silence. The sphere blasts forward, slowly rotating all the while. An unfathomable pulling force can be felt, ripping leaves out of the tree I'm standing in as it streaks away.
In response to the sudden cacophony of sound, centipedes begin to pour out of the mound, claws thrashing in the air as they rush to meet the threat.
It's too late for them.
Even before the sphere impacts against the nest, several centipedes are caught in the inexorable pull. Though they attempt to resist the monsters are ripped from the ground and drawn towards the sphere. Once they come into direct contact with it they are ripped apart.
[You have slain ...]
[You have slain ...]
Ignoring the voice of Gandalf I stare wide eyed as the sphere finally thuds into the mound.
At first nothing.
Then the sphere flickers and expands rapidly! In a millisecond it has grown to be a swirling vortex of death at least three metres in diameter. Everything close to the edges is pulled in by the unfathomable force and summarily destroyed.
After a second the sphere flickers again and then vanishes. The awful shrieking sound finally disappears.
In the mound a large spherical chunk has been cleanly carved out, exposing the inside of the nest where the unsightly remains of dozens of centipedes can be seen.
[You have slain ...]
[You have slain ...]
[You have slain ...]
As the voice of Gandalf rains like a chorus in my ears I can only behold the destruction wrought by my new ultimate attack in awe.
I shall call it... the Gravity Bomb!
The effect of the gravity bomb is far beyond my expectations. That was only forty percent of the gland being charged! What would one hundred percent look like? I shudder to imagine. To be honest I'm not even sure if I would be able to control that much energy. The gravity bomb I just fired had almost escaped my grasp, even after my upgraded mental capacity.
Just goes to show how difficult magic is to perform in this world, even with my heavy investment to upgrade my mental capacity it isn't necessarily going to be enough to take me all the way to the end of the magic road. In future evolutions I may need to further invest in expanding my sub-brain and increasing my will stat.
For now the results are certainly good enough.
[You have gained experience]
[You have gained experience]
The voice of Gandalf continues to echo in chorus in my mind dozens of times, announcing the same message.
[You have reached level 2]
Even after smashing all of those of claw centipedes I only gained enough experience for one level. The penalty for defeating creatures a whole two evolutions below me is being displayed.
In the aftermath of the gravity bomb there is an eerie silence for a moment. Tiny and I begin to descend the tree in order to survey the damage more closely. As grow closer to the mound several centipedes begin to crawl out from deep within their nest, clearly protected from the blast by their position below the ground level.
These guys are seriously mad, claws snatching at the air and mandibles viciously chomping in a clear display of their rage. Tiny and I are quite delighted to see them and happily hurl ourselves upon the foes, ready to do battle.
I'm especially glad to see these centipedes survive as they are perfect for training a new skill I've wanted to level up for some time.
My Exo-skeleton defense skill!
This particular purchase was part of my effort to tank up, buffing my defense to the point I wouldn't have to fear little beasties like these guys, but I haven't had a good opportunity to test it and gain experience in it yet.
This handy skill doesn't actually improve my carapace in any physical way, what it does do is give me insights and instincts to help make best use out of my external skeleton. I can feel the skill at work in my mind as I close in on the claw centipedes and deliberately allow them to strike towards my body. Seeing the angle of the attack I almost subconsciously shift the position of my body to present a greater slope to the enemy, blunting the impact and reducing the surface the clawed beastie can grab hold of.
Gweheheheh. Behold my skillful maneuvers!
Ouch!
Another claw centipede has approached from the side and bitten me! Damn thing!
Clearly my skills need improving....
In this way I allow several of the skittering monsters to approach me and attack whilst I stand there and take it like an ant! I try to react as fast as I can, adjusting my position with all the speed and precision I can in order to reduce any damage taken.
To be honest, very little damage has actually been taken. My diamond carapace and improved toughness is showing itself to be more than capable of blunting the attacks of these monsters, my double, core boosted evolutions are displaying their effects now! These yet to evolve centipedes are simply no threat to me!
[Exo-skeleton defense has reached level 2]
Haha! The perfect way to improve ones' defensive skills, tanking blows from weak enemies! This is the ultimate wisdom of humanity on display you foolish centipedes!
Four of the ugly monsters have surrounded me now, battering me on all sides as I continue to make small adjustments in my stance and posture.
[Exo-skeleton defense has reached level 3]
Bwahahaha!
Wait, Tiny nooo!
Having finished off his own opponents my ape companion has gleefully rushed over, impressive fists crackling will blue electricity and in only a few short moments he has pounded the centipedes around me into paste.
As I stand stunned and staring, Tiny turns his bat face towards me, beaming with pride.
... Well done buddy. Well done.
Tiny flaps his little bat ears and leaps into eating scooping up handfuls of monster and cramming it into his face.
... gross.
Ok fine then. I start to hunt around the mound, curiously prodding here and there to see what I can find. After searching around the outside of the mound I manage to find a small, tennis ball sized lump which I cannot really describe. When I try and pick it up I find that it is seriously heavy!
Is this the compressed remains of the gravity bomb?! Did it really manage to squish all of that dirt and Biomass into this little ball?!
That is a truly terrifying level of compression Gandalf!
It's like having a car crusher launched from my mouth!
It's almost a shame that I can't really eat this ball, it would appear to be a rather disgusting cocktail, three parts dirt, one part crushed centipede. There is probably a couple of points of Biomass mashed into here, it's a shame to see them go to waste but a stomach full of dirt wasn't really what I had in mind for a snack...
Tiny will probably eat it.
Now where were those cores?
I detected two monster cores when I scanned the mound as well as that strange convergence of energy at the deepest recesses of this nest. I'm very keen to discover just what on Pangera that was.
Quickly activating magic detection it seems as if one of the cores has simply vanished, perhaps crushed by the gravity bomb... Whilst the second is deep in the mound, close to that strange energy I had sensed.
Climbing over the edge of the mound I get my first glimpse of the inside of the centipedes home. It appears as if the outer layer of the mound covers a large hollow space on the inside, a space that extends several meters underground. These mounds contain even more space that I'd assumed! No wonder so many centipedes can fit in one of these things!
Right down the bottom of the mound the open space converges again into a narrow hole that extends deeper still. Right in the bottom I can see an extremely bright source of concentrated mana. The mana is so thick I can visibly see it swirling in place, leaking out of the dirt and hovering like smoke in the air.
What the heck is this?!
I can also see a centipede attempting to hide itself by curling it's body together beneath the mana. This centipede appears to have a slight blue tinge to its carapace, and is slightly smaller than the normal claw centipede. This must be an evolved specimen!
Attempting to hide eh? Perhaps you were smart enough to realise you couldn't win in a fight against something that could obliterate the nest in one hit? Thought your only chance to survive was to conceal yourself down here eh?
Tough luck buddy! Nobody slips past this ant!
Before the monster can discover it has been found I turn to present the commercial harbour to the foe and blast it with acid!
POW!
Immediately a horrified screech can be heard and the monster immediately writhes and attempts to charge out of its hidey hole towards me in one last desperate charge.
CHOMP!
[You have slain level 3 Nobiles iuuenes scolopendra]
One snap of the mandibles is enough to fatally wound my smaller opponent. Weak! This is an evolved monster?
Better grab a bite.
[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Nobiles iuuenes scolopendra, you are awarded one Biomass]
[Basic profile of the Nobiles iuuenes scolopendra unlocked]
[Nobiles iuuenes scolopendra: Noble centipede young, This evolution of the claw centipede is weaker than the base monster in terms of raw fighting strength but instead gains intelligence and the ability to coordinate its more primitive brethren]
Interesting! So this evolution of the centipede is like a leader caste? It appears as if the centipedes who successfully evolve into the adult claw centipede have to leave the nest of their kind, they could hardly fit after all, whereas this evolution stays in the mound and helps coordinate their fellow kind.
Also, young? That word leads me to believe there are quite a few evolutions ahead of this noble centipede, increasing its cunning and becoming a more capable leader?
Interesting...
I quickly rummage through the Biomass until I manage to locate the monster core which I quickly absorb, taking my maximum mana up to 52.
It'll be a long road to 100...
I then start to consume the food whilst watching the bizarre mana phenomenon below me. What on earth is going on down there?
By the time I finish my meal, gaining another two Biomass for my trouble I get an answer.
-x-X-x-
As I ate the mana cloud beneath me grew more intense, radiating a blinding glow that forced me to turn my head away to avert my eyes.
Curse my lack of eyelids! Sometimes an entity just has to blink!
There is a bright flash and then the intensity of the light fades, allowing me to turn back and observe what the heck just took place.
The mana cloud is still there, lazily swirling as the glowing energy leeches out of the walls, but there is also a centipede! A brand new claw centipede uncurls itself and upon seeing me staring down at it, immediately opens its claws and charges!
CHOMP!
[You have defeated level 1 claw centipede]
[You have gained experience]
That was one short life...
Holy bushiness of the grey one! This is a spawn point?!
I hadn't had confirmation of this point yet, I had no idea how all of these monsters were being created. I hadn't seen any monsters procreating, giving birth or any such thing, but that didn't mean that it didn't or couldn't happen. Here though I have proof! Evidence! Monsters are spawned from concentrated mana points in the ground, possibly also in caves!
But why? And how?! Is the creation mana I saw in the menu? If so, who is doing the creating? Is this simply a natural phenomenon in this world, a by-product of mana? It seems ridiculous to suggest that in any place the strange energy form that is mana exists, monsters will begin to spontaneously pop out of the ground!
Just what is going on in this place?
This doesn't explain the behaviour of the centipedes however , it makes so much sense. Of course the centipedes would construct a mound around a spawn point, reinforcements would literally pop out of thin air and begin to work with the rest of them.
Perhaps in each mound a noble can also be found? Is it the noble centipede that gathers its followers together, creating the mound around a spawn point? Or do the centipedes perform this action themselves?
Interesting nonetheless.
Of course, the other aspect of this discovery is what it could mean for the colony...
A spawn point is essentially a creature manufacturing location. Looking down the mana cloud is already beginning to recover its intensity, growing brighter with each passing second. It is entirely possible this location will spit out a new centipede every hour! Free food for the colony! An endless supply of weak individual monsters to plump up those larvae and swell our numbers!
The only problem is.. How to connect it to the nest without drawing too much attention. We aren't too far from the ant hill here, it should be possible, if tedious to dig a tunnel that will connect this location to the nest. Such an endeavor would probably take a full day of digging, even with the excavation skill.
Once connected how will I manage this location? I would probably need to put down a pheromone trail to bring workers here so they are in position the moment the centipede spawns.
It doesn't seem worth it to create such a long tunnel and divert the workforce just for one centipede an hour... but securing such a safe and reliable food supply is also important!
With a sinking feeling I gradually realize what I should do.
It makes a lot of sense to connect this spawn point to the colony underground, so the tunnel will be constructed. To make the investment of workers worth the time and effort, I should also create another pitfall network here, so that a number of workers could remain in this location and still be efficient in food gathering.
This will increase the amount of work I need to do in terms of trap resetting but once a day should still be sufficient for both networks.
The only problem I have, is this is going to be a whole lotta digging...
Time to embrace the zen of ants! Dig Anthony! Dig with your very soul!
In the end it takes me almost two days of non-stop work.
Tiny amuses himself by immediately smashing the spawned centipedes and consuming the Biomass, then napping until the next one spawns, roughly an hour later. I'm starting to notice a few changes to my ape companion, his hands seem larger, his fur thicker and even his eyes appear to be sharper than before. I can't be certain but I think he might be starting to spend the Biomass he is gaining. Perhaps he couldn't before since he wasn't sufficiently grown?
In any case, if he is getting stronger then it's all for the best.
I lost myself to the timeless mantra of the ant, digging, carrying dirt and rock to the surface, only to return and dig again. I'm once again grateful for my improved stats since I was able to power through the work better than I could before.
I was also able to level the excavation skill another two times, raising it to level 6.
Through sheer minded, mandible grippingly bloody mindedness I complete this project.
Five new pitfall traps, fully completed, covered and baited with fresh centipede await their first guests. I took the time to lay down my warning message to try and keep the workers from climbing out of the traps before laying another trail, a 'food this way' message, back to the colony.
After connecting the main tunnel I visited the first network to see how things were getting on. Four of the traps needed to be reset, which was pleasing to see. Judging by the number of workers scurrying about they'd been quite successful at grabbing food from this location and were keen for more.
I re-lay the food trail a few times until I manage to lure a couple of workers from the ant hill shaft across to the new trap network. When they get there I manage to shoo Tiny away from the spawn point long enough for the new workers to find a freshly created claw centipede and quickly dispatch it, rushing back to the colony with the Biomass and sure laying down more pheromones to recruit further workers to this location.
Excellent.
I hold down the fort for a little while until the number of ants in this network has risen to a suitable level. I while away the time by practicing my mana shaping and taking care of the one Croca-Beast who dropped into a pitfall.
Once again I fed the Biomass to Tiny and let the colony take another portion. The Croca, despite still being fearsome beasts, are unevolved after all. If I were to eat them I'd end up with a full stomach and little else. Rather than waste so many points of Biomass, let Tiny and colony gain the full benefit.
Finally, as the number of workers increases I feel comfortable enough to take a well-deserved nap. Which is to say torpor.
HAGA!
After shaking myself awake it's pleasing to see that the second network has become reasonably populated with workers, enough that I feel comfortable leaving the area to them and moving on. After one last sweep to reset the traps at both networks I kick tiny awake and we are once again ready to depart and explore!
Hopefully the colony is able to benefit fully from all of this work I've done!
-x-X-x-
With the colony as well provided for as I can manage for the time being, Tiny and I once again venture out from beneath the surface and into the forest, resuming our role as scouts.
I really wish I could find out why the forest has been so much more active than when I first arrived here. Is this a permanent increase in monsters or will it start to die down after a while? Because it is getting increasingly crazy up here.
When my fuzzy companion and I start to make our way through the forest we immediately encounter another Bear Tyrant battling furiously against a Lion Ogre. The two massive monsters slash and bite at each other, every blow carrying their immense weight and force behind it.
The Lion Ogre leaps forward and attempts to bite with its impressive fangs, trying to rip a huge chunk out of the indomitable bear. However, the part lion monsters is shocked to find just how tough the hide of that bear can be.
Growling like a rumbling volcano the Tyrant bear shrugs off the Lion ogre with a toss of its head before drawing back one paw for a colossal strike. I can see the small puncture wounds on the bear's back closing over, even as it strikes savagely against its foe.
As impressive as this fight between these monsters is, are you guys really sure you want to be slugging it out in this place?
Sure enough, drawn by the roar of combat the scent of Biomass more monstrous beasts begin to show their faces. First a small pack of Dragon-Wolf cubs, then a Titan-Croc thunders into the scene, followed by a horde of blade tailed mice.
Tiny is practically clawing at the ground, desperate to throw himself into what I can only describe as a monstrous blender of death. Only my indomitable stare and a few threatening snaps of the mandibles manage to prevent him from embracing his inner lemming.
At about this point I decide to NOPE the heck out of there. There is no way that melee stops growing anytime soon! If I thought I could get away with it I'd love to try and nip up a tree, charge a truly massive gravity bomb and drop it on the lot of them. After two days of solid digging the gravitational energy gland is about eighty percent full, twice what I had available to annihilate the centipede nest!
In the end I decide to err on the side of caution. Some of these monsters may have been able to detect me as I charged up such a powerful magic, and if I were to be attacked with all of that energy stuck in my throat who knows what could happen?
With an increasing cacophony of sound rising in the forest, Tiny and I retreat and find another path. The scene does bring into the focus the biggest problem I have hunting out here on the surface. Any sort of fight is going to quickly escalate into a similar picture rapidly in this forest. Even moving through the forest undetected has elevated in difficulty once again, testing my stealth to the limit.
Eventually, I've had enough.
Enough!
I'm so tired of bumping into monsters I could fight and win but having to let that Biomass and Xp slip out of my mandibles!
There has to be a better way to scope out the situation than this!
Grudgingly, I start to shepherd Tiny to towards the edge of the forest, where the trees and overgrown mushrooms give way to the sheer, craggy walls that support the colossal ceiling to this comically large underground space.
It takes two hours of careful treading, during which I level up stealth once more, before we manage to reach the edge of the forest and take shelter amongst the stone outcroppings at the base of the wall.
Tiny despondently scratches at the rocks as I ponder our next move, I don't doubt he still regrets having to abandon his plan to submit himself to mortal danger in the forest for little to no reason. You may be an increasingly strong lightning ape with a bat face, but you are thick as several bricks stacked on one another, aren't you buddy?
This open space has become too deadly for safe travel, too dangerous for safe hunting and generally a massive pain in my ant backside!
Actually... That might be the answer.
The open forest has become a complete no go zone, an area probably filled with monster spawn points, pumping out fresh Biomass 24/7 like a franchise fast food joint. The rate of monster appearance and the general level and evolution seems to be constantly be climbing! If the forest is out, let's try and explore a few tunnels then!
I know that there are a number of tunnels that connect to the edges of this massive place, I arrived through one such tunnel after all! There are also caves and small monster habitats that have been carved into the outer wall here. All of these places are probably much safer for me to conduct my investigations and hunting!
This could work!
Excited, I rouse Tiny with a quick poke and we begin to clamber over the rocks as we follow the edge of the forest around the wall. I don't want to get too far from the anthill so we move clockwise, a path that will take us close to the hill from our current position.
We still come across the occasional monster but they generally wander out of the woods, take a look around and then return back into the forest when they can't find anything.
It's during one of those moments, as Tiny and I scurry behind a few rocks waiting for a strange panther like creature to get bored and leave that the voice of Gandalf once again perturbs my musings.
[Advanced Stealth has reached level five].
Oh ho! After all of my sneaking about through the forest of death I finally get another level in stealth! Excellent!
Seriously though, this skill is hard to raise! Perhaps I need to be more consciously hiding from a particular target for the skill to gain proper experience? I don't know. The level has raised, this can only be a good thing.
After ten more minutes of searching we finally discover a tunnel entrance part way up the wall. From the outside the tunnel appears to be slightly narrow, but I think Tiny will still fit ok, if a little squeezed.
It isn't hard for me to skitter up to the opening but my ape companion has to make a more difficult climb before he can enter. Not in the open spaces now Tiny! Welcome back to the tunnels, ant country!
Once inside, I almost feel relieved to be back into the narrow, stony confines of a wild, unexplored tunnel again. The walls of the tunnel are brightly illuminated by the scrolling veins of light that have become so familiar to me now. In fact, the light is pulsing more rapidly than ever before, the tunnel is so well lit it almost feels like daytime in here.
Curiously I activate my mana detection skill and sure enough I get a strong response from the walls, providing the final proof that the these twining vines are in fact full of mana, almost like veins, transporting mana through the walls and throughout this entire underground realm. The realization is quite strange, it almost feels as if I'm inside a giant organism, the tunnels forming the arteries that move the blood like mana throughout a strange body.
-x-X-x-
Muahaha!
Here in the tunnels my supreme senses are once again able to display their full dominance! Enhanced compound eyes! Heat detecting antennae! Mana detection! All of these things combine to ensure nothing can sneak up on me in here.
In fact, it will be I who will do the sneaking!
So long as Tiny stays a reasonable distance behind.
According to the Tunnel Map this cave seems to be winding slightly downward and curving to the left. There are various twists and turns but that seems to be the overall trend. After being in the forest, where mayhem seems to reign at all times at the moment, entering these quiet tunnels is a shocking difference. Being able to hear the faint echoes of my legs skittering or Tiny's hands gripping on the rocks has me jumping at shadows!
What a sec!
My antennae start furiously wiggling in the air as I attempt to confirm the faint sensation I just detected. Yes! A heat signature has whispered against my antennae, something is approaching, not far away at all!
Turning quickly, I hustle Tiny into a crevice against the wall of the tunnel and wait, hoping we haven't been discovered. I want to be able to get the jump on these monsters, whatever they may be! This ant is hungry for battle! Mainly for the Xp and Biomass but also to battle!
This may just be another aspect of my adjusting attitude after being reborn in this world but the thrill and excitement of fighting for your own food, the contest to see which lifeform is worthy to go on, growing stronger on the remains of the other...
It's just really fulfilling... somehow?
I tense myself as the heat readings draw closer. I think I'm picking up multiple heat sources actually... or perhaps one large one? I'm sensing multiple sources, each very similar. Perhaps multiple monsters of the same type?
I'm still not used to my heat detection sense dammit!
A moment later they come into sight. There are three of them, climbing upside down on the roof. The first impression I get is, these guys didn't skip leg day. Each of them has four seriously long legs, similar to a spider's legs, that extend far below their heads before reaching a joint and returning to grip the ceiling. Suspended in the middle of these limbs is their main body, similar to a leech they resemble a tube with a hideous fanged mouth capping one end. Two clawed hands extend from the center of their.... Torso.
I'm not currently seeing any eyes on these things... can they see at all?
Just as the trio of ... spider leeches... is about to pass over my head I slowly turn and reposition myself to display the business district in all of its glory. Thankfully my subtle movement isn't spotted and the tree monsters pass over Tiny and I without twitching.
POW!
Receive the acid of justice!
The spider leech bringing up the rear is doused in restrictive acid before it has a chance to respond, the sticky acid immediately congeals and burns away at its soft body, steam begins rising from it.
My victim unleashes a horrifying yowl that penetrates my ears instantly. Holy heck! It sounds like one hundred cats just got trod on their tail! What is this ungodly noise Gandalf!?
All three monsters turn towards me with dizzying speed and before I can release my second acid blast the world goes black!
What the heck happened! I can't see a damned thing!
My antennae continue to wave frantically and I'm relieved to find I can still detect the body heat of our three opponents, as well as Tiny next to me. Gritting my mandibles I activate mana sensing as I dodge to one side.
No sooner had I leapt to the left than I feel a sharp wind rush past followed by the crunching sound of something piercing into stone. Yikes!
Unsurprisingly, each of these monsters has a core, lighting them up like a Christmas tree. Although it's distracting and difficult to keep the skill active for a long time, I'm going to leave it on for the time being. Combined with my heat detection it'll allow me to locate the enemy at the very least!
Tiny started bellowing in rage as soon as the lights went out, frustrated he can't strike at his enemy in the darkness. Electricity immediately begins to crackle around his body, twisting and writhing down his arms like deadly serpents, but he has no idea what to do with it and continues to shout and beat his chest, daring the enemy to show themselves to him.
I refuse to slow down and continue to dodge here and there, anticipating a strike at any moment. My sense are telling me that the three spider leeches are still attached to roof, roughly were they were when I last saw them, which leads to believe they have some method of attacking from range, I can't sit still!
Sure enough, as I continue to erratically leap from place to place I hear the occasional crunch as some projectile smashes in the rock and dirt around my feet.
This is dangerous!
Turning suddenly I rush with all my strength towards and then up the wall. Three versus one they'll certainly win the ranged battle, so I'm going to join them on the ceiling! Frankly it's my favorite place to fight!
[mana sensing has reached level 2]
I can feel my sub-brain burning out, maintaining the detection skill requires a lot of concentration and I'm not really helping to carry the load with my main mind, since I'm focusing on the fight. Hold on for a bit longer little brain!
Whatever they've done to block my eyesight is still in effect, the entire tunnel has become completely dark, not a whisper of light is reaching my eyes, even from the walls under my very feet. I can't imagine anything natural would be able to produce such an effect, it must be a magical phenomenon of some kind!
Now I'm even more keen to take a bite out of these creatures. Anything with a core advanced enough to cast spells must have evolved several times, surely! Give me that Biomass!
As I skitter up the tunnel wall in a zigzagging pattern dodging their projectiles as best I can, Tiny has finally had enough. I can almost feel the rage burning in his bat eyes as he opens his maw wide and unleashes a piercing supersonic scream!
As the waves of sound wash over me I manage to resist the mind numbing effect but the spiders don't appear to have been so lucky, I can feel their heat signature flinch and the mana in their bodies appears disrupted for a moment before it recovers.
A moment is all I need! With the speed of a leopard ... ant, I rush onto the ceiling and dash forward to engage in upside down combat!
Approaching from the monster's left I weave in between its long legs and clamp down with a mighty crunch!
How to describe the feeling of biting down a spider legged leech monster's tube like body?
...
Disgusting.
Seriously disgusting.
My mandibles snap shut with a horrible squelching sound, like feet stuck in deep mud, before the monster basically... pops, showering my face with indescribable substances.
I mean... YUCK!
Dammit Gandalf!
[you have slain level 16 tenebris serpere]
[You have gained experience]
[You have reached level 3]
Muahaha!
I may be covered in goop, but worth it!
As the now lifeless body of the monster loses its grip and falls to the floor I am already advancing on the second spider leech, mandibles open wide and ready to deliver my justice.
Sensing my approach I can feel the monster quiver and leap off the ceiling, seeking to put some distance between us. I can see the flow of mana flare in the creatures core for a moment and I immediately scrabble to dodge, just as another sharp impact threads between my legs, narrowly missing.
What the heck is that spell!?
The spider leech may have been pleased with its strategy for a moment but after it lands and attacks me it is soon set upon by a truly irritated Tiny, who was clearly able to hear the monster land. Swinging wildly with his electric fists my ape companion soon manages to connect with his invisible foe and splatters them in a single punch.
Meanwhile I commit to the final target, running a random pattern to throw off the projectiles I close quickly, charging my infused mandibles to end it quickly!
SNAP!
The monster manages to narrowly avoid my strike, jerking back its body at the last moment, but I still manage to seize of the legs.
CRUNCH!
Showing no mercy I sever the leg, closing my ears to the almost demonic yowling of the beast as I plunge forward to deliver a crushing bite!
POP!
[You have defeated level 14 tenebris serpere]
[You have gained experience]
[You have reached level 4]
UGH! DISGUSTING!
-x-X-x-
Flush with the glow of a hard won victory, Tiny and I are unusually not looking forward to the next reward, the Biomass.
Unfortunately, whatever was blocking our sight ended with the defeat of the last monster, clearing our vision to take in a truly wonderful scene.
The monsters practically exploded when bitten and the remains are scattered over the tunnel floor in a truly unpleasant image. Something this abstract would have to be a Picasso? The spattered goop certainly leaves a strong impression.
Sharing an unwilling look with Tiny we both begin to pick over the tunnel floor reluctantly, looking for something that looks like edible Biomass.
[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Tenebris Serpere, you are awarded one Biomass]
[Basic profile of the Tenebris Serpere unlocked]
[Tenebris Serpere: Dark Crawler, Produced in the Monster Forges of the Troglodyte engineering guilds, these creatures are tailor made for reconnaissance and stealth missions, deploying an arsenal of shadow magic for offensive and defensive purposes]
Uh...
WhatyousayGandalf?
What am I reading here? Produced? Monster Forges? Troglodyte Guilds?
What the heck was all o that?!
So these, truly unpleasant to eat creatures were created? By... Troglodytes?
I've never heard of a Troglodyte. What is that?
Well. Focusing back on this fight, the Xp from these creatures was perfectly acceptable. Two whole levels! Once for each! Not to mention the three cores that were able to secure as a result of this battle! Such rewards are almost unprecedented!
Surely this cannot be an omen of something bad about to happen!
...
Ok, nothing terrible so far.
I won't count it out yet.
After splitting the Biomass with Tiny I gain a further four points, leaving my total on nine. Enough to take my legs from +2 to +4 and enhance my Gravity gland to +1 with one point spare.
I quickly confirm those upgrades with Gandalf while I distract myself from the unpleasant itch by rounding up the monster cores we've gained. Three small, round gem-like stones sit on the dirt in front of us. Apparently these monsters were engineered or created outright by a kind of people called the Troglodytes?
I wonder if there is anything special about these cores?
Extending my antennae to touch one of the cores, I activate the core mechanic skill and begin to study the information contained inside. There is still much that I can't see in there, but what I can see is quite shocking. These monsters have almost no toughness at all, and very little might, the energy is instead diverted into Cunning, to make them more intelligent and towards magical proficiency, including a shadow magic gland.
These are probably the first monsters I've seen with such tanked physical stats in favour of mental and magical prowess. It makes sense if you consider them as designed monsters, to compensate for their physical weakness they were equipped with their darkness cloud spell and whatever projectile they were firing.
Interesting.
Out of curiosity I try and shift the values a little, just divert a touch of energy over to toughness and I find that it is impossible. When I attempt to make the change I feel as if I'm lifting a mountain with my fingers, there is no way that is going to happen Gandalf! No way at all!
Although it was difficult when I made a change to the undead rabbit core, it was nowhere near this hard! Perhaps the more a core has been engineered and changed the harder it becomes to make additional changes? I can test this theory by working on the rabbit core again when I get back to the nest...
Well, since I can't practice on these cores, I may as well absorb them!
[Compatible monster core detected. Would you like to reinforce your core or reconstitute a monster?]
Reinforce that sucka!
I take in two of the cores which increase my Mp by three points each, which is interesting. For the final core I push it towards Tiny and try to get him to absorb it.
When he sees I've pushed the core towards him he stares blankly at it for a moment before pushing it back to me.
...
Thinking he didn't understand what I wanted I use my mandibles to push it right up to him and then step back, watching him.
He looks at the core.
He looks at me.
He sits down.
He looks back to the core.
Then he reaches out with one hand, picks up the core and throws it back at me.
...
You damned cheeky ape! That hit me right in the face!
Losing my temper, I pick up the core in my mandibles and rush at him. He seems stunned to see my charge but I don't give him a chance to escape and start beating him over the head with the core.
Whack! Bash!
Absorb the stupid core you moron! Don't give me any of your cheek!
After hitting him probably ten times I notice that I'm only hitting him with my mandibles now and the core is gone. Stepping back Tiny is looking at me with a reproachful expression, clearly not happy with my violent treatment. I gift you a core and this is how you react?! I had to beat you up before you would even accept it!
Hopefully you'll remember this lesson next time I pass you a core!
If my thoughts are correct then Tiny has only evolved once, from those small apes to his larger gorilla form. If he's going to follow me around then he needs to be as strong as possible, so it's worth it to invest cores to ensure that his evolution provides the largest gains possible.
With the rewards distributed I start to think about whether I should investigate further into this tunnel or retreat for the time being when I feel something strange from the tunnel in front of us.
What the heck is this...
My antennae start to wave vaguely in the air in front of me as I try to understand the feeling I'm getting.
I think this is....
Air pressure?
Like.. A wind? From the tunnel?
How does that make sense.... You would only get wind underground if.. Something ... large.... Was pushing the air.... As it.. Rushed....down...the...tunnel...
....
Suddenly my heat senses begin to detect a massive heat signature approaching, fast. Not just fast, Olympic sprinter fast!
By the shining beard of the wizardly one, get the heck out of here Tiny!!!!
I grab my ape follower on the arm and start sprinting back towards the forest but I already know it's too late. Turning my head slightly as I run I can see a looming shadow growing in the tunnel behind, filling the empty space with impenetrable shadow.
Almost unwillingly I activate my Mana Sense and my mind is immediately rocked with a blinding light radiating off a truly massive monster core!
I quickly shut off my mana sense but before I do I vaguely pick up on a strange concentration of mana positioned just above the core.
I don't have any time to think about it though!
Knowing I can't run I dive into the scant cover provided by a fold in the rock and Tiny leaps in after me, fairly crushing me with growing bulk.
Sigh. This must be a comical sight, a giant and a gorilla trying to hide behind a bit of rock that is almost large enough to fit a medium sized dog behind...
As the approaching darkness grows ever closer a terrifying sense of foreboding grows inside me. There is something especially scary when you know there is a giant monster in front of you but you can't even see it!
Whatever it is, it slows down as it approaches and the impenetrable darkness gradually fades away, revealing the beast one feature at a time.
It's a massive worm, it's huge, segmented mouth fills the tunnel from top to bottom, blocking my view completely. The outer skin of the worm appears to be thickly armoured, I can hear it grinding against the rock as the monster moves.
Is this it Gandalf? Worm food? After all of this time?
I don't want to go out like this!
An irascible voice erupts in my mind.
[What in the BLAZES do you chaps think you are doing here?!]
.....
Uhhhhhh...
Was that the worm?
[No it isn't the worm you BLIGHTER! Humph! No respect these days, that's the trouble with the Dungeon nowadays, no RESPECT at all!]
As the gruff voice continues to echo in my mind the gigantic worm gradually... stretches and thins itself out to reveal a smaller creature riding on its back.
This new monster is like nothing I've seen before. Eyeless, earless, with a large bulging forehead that tapers down to a wide, toothy mouth. The leathery looking skin is a splotchy red colour and wraps around a fairly scraggly, unimpressive looking frame. Thin, stick like arms and legs emerge from a torso so thin the ribs are showing.
[Are you QUITE finished you CRETIN?!] rages the voice in my mind.
Oh! Uh! Sorry!?
...
You wouldn't happen to be an ... uh... Troglodyte would you?
[Troglodyte?! Where in the BLAZES did you get that thought?!]
This guy is so touchy! Judging from the 'sound' his voice makes in my mind I definitely consider him to be male, he sounds like a British general from the 1800's.
Oh.. Uh.... I took a look at the ... Dark Crawler core and it said they were engineered by... Troglodytes... so I assumed...
[BOSH and POPPYCOCK! Only the BLASTED system in this Dungeon refers to my great people as "cave dwellers"! We refer to ourselves as the Sophos and have done since before this SMARMY Dungeon existed!]
Uh... poppycock?
What is a Dungeon anyway?
[... You are inside the Dungeon you BLITHERING simpleton! You're smart enough to talk to me but have no idea where you are?!]
I'm... not local? Sir?
I have no idea how to talk to this guy. He doesn't have eyes I can focus on, I feel rude staring at his wrinkly forehead.
[What do you mean not local? You're here aren't you?! I can't imagine a BLASTED thing like you could get out of the Dungeon at all! Those DUNDERHEADED surface dwellers lack the sophistication and senses of us Sophos! If they'd seen you they'd think you were any old monster and squashed you flat I dare say!]
Despite his voice frequently rising to a mighty roar, filled with energy and outrage, his body never moves, not even a twitch. The juxtaposition of voice to frame is completely bewildering, I'm finding it hard to focus on all of the incredible information he's passing me!
Please... Sir! I haven't had a chance to ask anyone as... knowledgeable as yourself about this... Dungeon! If I have caused offense by eating your crawlers I am very sorry! I thought they were just monsters and attacked them.
[Just monsters? BALDERDASH! I laboured many hours in the monster forge to produce those beasts! How am I to complete my reconnaissance of the forest expanse without them? HMPH! If you weren't so unique I'd have already fed you to Crinitus here!]
You can tell I'm not a normal monster?
[Of course! What do you take me for? Some primping, pink, puffy HUMAN? My people are renowned over Pangera for our unsurpassed mental magic. UNSURPASSED I SAY!]
AHH! Yes! Clearly unsurpassed!
My bootlicking seems to mollify him a little, though it is hard to tell since he basically has no face. I try not to think such thoughts too loudly lest he pick up on them and feed me to his worm.
[Hurrumph! I could detect the movement of your thoughts long before I came upon you here. Clearly not the mind of a monster spawned from this WALLY of a Dungeon! What say you, ant?! How did you come to be?!]
Uhhhhh.
How can I explain this... I... died? On another world? And then I ... uh.. Woke up here in an ant body... ?
...
...
[By the MAGNIFICENT MINDS OF THE MIGHTY SOPHOS! You were reborn here you say?!]
Shocked by the sheer volume of the response I can barely think a reply. I think I'm getting a headache.
.. Yes!?
[I see!]
A moment of silence follows as my brusque new associate absorbs this news.
[According to the recorded wisdom of my people you are not the first we have encountered in these circumstances].
Really?! Holy moly! You mean there have been more people like me that were reborn in the .. Dungeon ... as monsters?
[Yes].
...
Are they still around? What happened to them?
Another pause.
[Most were driven rather insane, or at least they had been when they encountered us. Others were killed either by the Dungeon or hunted by surface dwellers].
For once he gets through a full statement without shouting, perhaps he understand how that statement would make me feel.
Insane? Driven mad or dead?
[You don't seem particularly insane]
Uh.. No?
[Interesting. You don't find your new environs to be ... difficult?]
I .. Guess so? I mean... I was pretty used to being on my own with nobody to talk to... and it kind of feels nice to be out and about doing things... Lots of excitement and action... You know?
[... You were a human previously as I understand it from your thoughts, you don't find it strange to be a monstrous ant?]
...
It did take a bit of getting used to, I guess? I don't really think I had that much time to worry about it really, I was too concerned about staying alive and then I was too busy trying to level up and evolve, then I found the colony and looking after them has been fun... I suppose I already had a human life and it was ok to be something new the next time around?
...
More silence. I wish this guy would move or something! I can't even tell if he's breathing!
...
[Well that is GOSH DARNED IMPRESSIVE I SAY! A good STIFF UPPER LIP, that's the stuff! You won't survive long in the Dungeon being SOFT!]
Holy Gandalf! He got his pep back in a hurry!
[You know, I do seem to recall word that one of your kind had survived and gone deep into the Dungeon. Whether or not they had come from the same place as you before they were reborn, I dare not say. The old records detail many powerful monsters who survived countless battles and descended deep beneath the surface. To my people they are known as Ancients.]
Ancients eh? Seriously though, just how deep does this Dungeon go? We must be nearly a kilometre down where we are, it surely doesn't get much deeper than this, right?
...
[BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAAA. Oh I SAY! What a jape! Where you a joker in your last life also? HAHA! I SAY INDEED!]
... I'm wrong then am I?
I can almost hear him mentally wiping a tear from his eye as he replies.
[We are INDEED a kilometre under the surface here, but common knowledge amongst my people puts the radius of Pangera at slightly over 10,000 kilometres. As far as we know the Dungeon extends all the way to the center].
... Right.
Why are things so stupidly dangerous already then! Not even 1% into the stupid thing?!
[Well because of the wave of course!]
Wave?!
...
[My PARDON old BEAN! I shouldn't forget that you know nothing of this place! Have you not noticed that the number of monsters and the density of mana has been increasing over these last weeks?]
I have!
[INDEED! Soon a phenomenon known on this world as a 'wave' will occur. Simply put the Dungeon will start to spit out massive numbers of monsters, pretty much constantly for a period of time, usually between one day to a week].
This is a bit alarming!
Isn't it already spitting out massive numbers? And where will they come from?!
[HAHA! This is just a DRIZZLE before the STORM my boy! When the wave breaks you can expect the spawn rate to go up at least ten times! TEN TIMES I SAY! The other BLASTED thing about a wave is that the BLIGHTERS will pop right out of the walls! Don't even need a spawn point!]
Out of the walls?! By the bristling bushy beard of big G!
All around me the pulsing mana lines that curl throughout the tunnel in their ever splitting intricate scrollwork appear incredibly threatening. Monsters will start ripping straight out of the walls?!
Wait.
Haven't these mana veins been extending into the.... Nest?!
The colony!
[Oh yes! This wave promises to be RATHER UNPRECEDENTED! We've not had a wave build this high for AGES. I myself was sent to estimate the strength by scouting the forest. You wouldn't happen to have any intelligence for me on the spawn rate OLD SPICE?!]
My mind whirls in confusion and panic but I manage to formulate a reply.
Uh.. I found a ... spawn point for claw centipedes, it produced a new centipede every hour, that I saw.... Uh.. Sir.
[OH I SAY! That is bad news INDEED, I think this wave promises to be a BLIGHTED DISASTER!]
His response startles me.
Is it that unusual?
[Those hideous things would usually spawn at half that rate leading to a wave! If we were to assume that the wave will be double the size of a normal one that would already be disastrous. When did you measure the speed of this spawn point?!]
He seems very intent with this question.
... Yesterday?
[Hurrumph! Bad news indeed! INDEED I SAY! I think you may find the rate has increased even further over the last day. These things will accelerate faster the closer we get].
A thought occurs to me.
Is it really ok for you to be sharing this information with strange monster? Even if I am ... somewhat unique?
[We Sophos are pacifists for the most part. Against the Dungeon we will show NO QUARTER, but to other intelligent life we like to foster positive relations. We have dwelt underground on Pangera for thousands of years before the Dungeon extended out of the depths and here we still remain].
He actually moves his body and gestures down at the fearsome worm beneath him.
[We have adapted ourselves to survive in this place, these OLD DOGS learned a few new tricks I SAY! However, our fundamental way of life has not changed. Should you find your way to my people they will welcome you so long as you do not harm us].
I hardly expected to hear this kind of talk from him considering the manner of his arrival but he has certainly been very helpful.
Thank you sir! Do you have a name? In case I see you again?
[WELL SAID LAD! My name is Formosus Bellus Pulcher, I was given this cognomen due to my incredible handsome form, as you can no doubt testify!]
I can detect no sarcasm at all in his voice....
Well then ... Formo... Could you tell me more about the Ancient you mentioned?
[Oh yes! Ha! Now let me consult my people a moment]
... You can still talk to them?
He doesn't respond. After a moments' thought I activate my Mana Sensing and look more closely at this strange but friendly fellow Dungeon dweller.
The blazingly powerful core of the monster he is sitting on is hugely distracting. This worm has a core that is easily twice the size of the Queen's! If not larger! I shudder to think just how strong this thing is. Thankfully Formo turned out to be so peaceful!
Ignoring the blazing sun that is the worm I take a good look at this Sophos.
The first thing I notice is that he has no core. I suppose this means he isn't born from the Dungeon and is instead a natural creature of this world. Regardless of not having a core he is clearly able to control mana extremely well. The mana around his body swirls and flows constantly. If I focus heavily I can see a faint, shining bridge of mana, shaped like a braided rope, connecting my mind and his. Is this how we can communicate? Is this Mind magic?
The energy is clearly not of the normal type, rather than a blue it is a shimmering golden colour. If I focus closely I can see another bridge leaving Formo that vanishes into the far distance. He really must be communicating with his people goodness knows how far away! Incredible!
I desperately try to examine the connection he has constructed to my mind. If I learn how to do this I'll be able to communicate telepathically! Even without having to invest in a magical energy gland.
Looking as closely as I can the little I can see leaves me in awe. The construction of this bridge is breathtaking, each thread twisted precisely in a pattern that supports and extends, allowing two minds to interact. My control is far away from being able to achieve something on this level.
[Ahem! Yes! As I was saying. According to the records we encountered an intelligent monster who claimed to have been reborn into this world seventy years ago. After many years of struggling to was able to evolve enough that she could push into the deeper Dungeon and we hadn't heard from her since. Her name was Sarah as we understand it].
That sounds like a name from Earth! Is it possible another person like me is still alive here in the Dungeon? Somewhere deep?
I'd love to try and find them but I don't think I'm strong enough to survive that far down and explore. Apparently I'm not even 1% of the way to the middle! I have to admit that news has been a blow to my ego. I thought I was finally becoming strong! It seems there is a long way to go.
Hang on.
...
Something has changed. There is a different feeling in the air and I can't quite work out what it is.
Temperature?
...
No. My heat senses aren't noticing anything strange. What the heck could it be?
[Oh bother].
For the first time my new Sophos friend seems to have completely lost his vigour. He sounds ... worried?
What is it Formo? What's happening?
[Look at the walls lad].
Confused, I turn towards the tunnel walls and look closely at them. I can't quite see anything new? I'm not sure. The pulsing veins of mana are still there, the same as they ever were. Wait.
WAIT.
They seem a little... dimmer?
Quickly activating my mana sensing I stare hard at the walls. Yes! The mana level is slowly dropping! The difference is incredibly faint, almost imperceptible but it is absolutely dropping!
Isn't this a good thing Formo?! We want it to go down and slow the spawn rate, right?
The Sophos has actually begun to move his physical body, reaching down to pat his fearsome worm mount and stir it to alertness.
[No lad. Think of the waters of your own world, Anthony. When a giant wave comes to the shore, the water will first retreat, yes?]
How the heck did you learn my name Formo?
[With our minds connected for so long it is natural I can glean many things. It is very difficult to keep secrets amongst my people. The mana is acting much like the water in your world. It will retreat and dim to almost nothing before crashing back with irresistible force].
So.. So that means?
[The wave is coming lad. One day, maybe two].
Holy moly!
I need to get the heck out of here! I have to save the colony!
[What you choose to do now is up to you my boy, take your pet and find a safe place. I hope you both will survive the coming disaster].
Wait... pet?
[Yes. Your pet, lad. Right there].
He actually troubles himself to point at Tiny after I continue to stare at him blankly.
Tiny is a pet? How is he a pet?
I reconstituted him from a core, does that make him my pet?
[Of course it BLOODY does! Do you think monsters in this Dungeon are always so loyal to others? When you reconstituted him from a core he became attached to you. In this world we call them pets! Have you not taken any of the pet management skills from the BLASTED system?]
Pet skills? I think I might have seen some there... I didn't think they applied to me!
[How you have survived this long is DARNED mystery, a MYSTERY I SAY! Raising, controlling and engineering pet monsters is how we Sophos have survived to this day! We are the best in world at it lad, WITHOUT COMPARE I SAY! Raise young... Tiny ... well and he will protect you!]
The giant worm has roused itself now, it's cavernous mouth writhing and flexing as it slowly begins to turn around, digging itself into the rock wall of the tunnel.
[I must return to my people now lad. They must be warned of the scale of this disaster. I fear this wave will be greater than anything seen in a thousand years! We Sophos will not be caught unawares!]
Ok! I'd better get back to my the colony. They have no chance of survival without my help.
[Right you are YOUNG CHAP. I say you go AND GIVE THE DUNGEON JOLLY WHAT FOR! Do your best to survive and we may meet again!]
With that the worm once again expands its head, hiding the shrivelled form of Formo from view. Accelerating with each passing moment the worm burrows directly into the wall, shredding through the rock and dirt as if it were paper.
Just how long is this freakin' worm?!
Tiny and I watch in amazement as the scaly, rocky form of the worm continues to move past us in a seemingly never ending, ever accelerating blur.
Finally it tapers and disappears, leaving Tiny and myself staring at an empty tunnel with a brand new to hole in the side.
A moment later I shake myself out of it.
I don't have a second to lose I SAY!
Dammit! I've picked up his thinking habits!
I need to get the hell out of here! Only a day, two at the most before an endless horde of monsters starts leaping out the walls and ripping into the colony! The brood! Those poor helpless larvae will get shredded to bits!
I don't have enough time! I have to get stronger, have to save the colony.
I have no idea how I'm going to do it!
Turning around, Tiny and I sprint back towards the forest. Even as I run I start trying to practice my mana shaping, desperate to do anything that might improve my chances of survival and allow me to help the colony make it through the upcoming struggle.
I have the Gravity Magic gland, and that's awesome, but other than the Gravity Bomb, with all of its flaws, I don't have a method to use it!
My best chance of getting stronger in the short term is to try and find a way to apply the gravitational energy in a battle that doesn't require me to hide and charge it up for multiple minutes!
It is ridiculously difficult to do anything at the same time as manipulating mana but I'm going to do my best!
Arr nuts! I tripped!
-x-X-x-
Tiny and I continue to retreat back towards the nest as fast as we can. As we run I continuously attempt to draw out and shape mana, frequently stuffing it up and tangling my legs as we run.
This is so damn difficult Gandalf! How did you perform so much magic on the back of the horse?!
I'm not sure if this will help anyone in anyway but I'm feeling desperate to get stronger. With only a day or two left until impending Armageddon I want to improve at something!
The entire conversation I had with Formo keeps running through my mind. So much new information to drop on a person! I feel like it'll take ages for me to be able to come through of all the gems my chatty new friend dropped in our brief exchange.
Tiny and I make it back to the open space of the forest without incident, although I do trip a few times.
Even with my sub-brain assisting to draw the mana out of my core and direct it, to actually manage that process, seize the prepared mana before shaping it into the one of the many patterns that the skill inserted knowledge is telling me to use is exceedingly difficult.
However, I must practice!
Back to the nest Tiny! With all speed!
The forest is just as chaotic as it was when we left it a few hours ago, but we don't waste time trying to sneak through now. As we encounter creatures we simple continue running straight past them, leaving a trail of bewildered and confused beasts in our wake.
However, some give chase, bellowing out their challenge as they crash through the brush, snapping branches and crushing the undergrowth beneath their feet.
If I'd not been distracted with mana shaping I might have anticipated this, but there is no stopping now...
Stop chasing us you idiots! There's a thousand other monsters you could fight, why don't you just leave us alone? Can't you see we aren't interested? Nobody likes a desperate monster!
It's no use however.
With their blood up, every monster is seeing red pretty much constantly right now and is isn't long before the one or two creatures tailing along behind us have attracted the attention of other nearby monsters.
Gradually more beasts emerge from the trees, chasing the tails of the monsters who are chasing Tiny and myself.
Of course, the increased ruckus only manages to draw yet more monsters out from between the trees and giant mushrooms. Soon a conga line of Bears, chimps, giant rabbits centipedes and other monsters I'd not yet seen has formed behind us.
Are you serious Gandalf!?
How stupid are you monsters?! I don't have time for this!
By the time we reach the ant hill there must be more than a hundred monsters that I can see behind us, all hurtling forward, ignoring the cavalcade of ravenous beasts behind, solely focused on the target in front of them.
I'm actually speechless.
Just how dumb can these beasts get?
All I wanted to do was get back quickly!
[Mana shaping has reached level 4]
Not now dammit!
As Tiny and I begin our sprint up the ant hill the guards take a look and the train of monsters behind us and immediately prepare to fight, one of them ducks into the nest, clearly going to summon reinforcements to deal with the threat.
Dang!
These guys couldn't just run away for once?
I'd been hoping we could just duck into the nest and leave these stupid monsters to battle it out amongst themselves whilst I tried to devise a save the colony from the deadly wave plan.
Alas, it is not to be.
Clacking my mandibles in irritation I turn to face the oncoming beast conga once I reach the top of the hill. Tiny, tired of running and eager for battle, takes his cue from me and gleefully turns to fight, electricity already beginning to spark off his body.
After all the effort I went through to avoid this very situation, one run through the forest and here we are. A massive brawl right on top of the ant hill!
As I turn I can see the full train of monsters, suddenly stop as the creature in front of them stops.
There is a pause.
The beast immediately in front of me is a heavily mutated Wolf-Dragon. Any monster that can survive in the forest these days is going to amass levels and Biomass at a pretty furious rate after all.
The monster paws at the ground, baring its teeth in a menacing snarl, its powerful tail swinging and curling behind it.
Look you stupid monster, you chased along behind me and brought this enormous trail of villains here to threaten my nest? Do you know who I am? Do you know what I do here?
I guess I only have one question left for you Wolf...
Do you want to dance?
Perhaps sensing my change in my mood Tiny hoots in delight and starts beating his chest with his fists. Those fists and that chest are still getting larger by the day. I would estimate Tiny has achieved half of his previous size and he is certainly growing stronger. Judging by his bristling fur and thick, meaty fists I'm starting to suspect he has already achieved a mutation advancement or two...
Unable to contain himself anymore, the ape bounds forward and with one swing of his arm delivers a stunning uppercut to the chin of the Dragon-Wolf. The poor beast is shattered by the blow and cartwheels backwards, smacking directly into the monster behind it.
One punch?!
I never saw you doing push ups Tiny?! You certainly never went for a run? Where did this strength come from?
Like a starting gun, Tiny's aggression seems to have been the signal to all of the attending combatants to begin the festivities.
With a mighty roar the second major battle to be conducted next to this ant hill has begun!
Filled with rage I begin to channel my mana into my infused mandibles and then, almost as an after-thought, I try to channel mana from my gravitational energy gland instead of my core.
To my surprise, it instantly works, the deep purple energy flowing out from my body and along those familiar lines through my head, pouring into my mandibles and dyeing them with the energies' colour.
Holy moly! Gravity mandibles?! What the heck do these do?
As the mana continues to build up I vaguely feel as if I could reach out with it, as if it wanted to take hold of something, with more mana flooding into the mandibles every moment the feeling only grows stronger.
I start to charge towards the melee and spot my target, an adult centipede is slipping towards the frontlines of the battle from the flank, already raising its tail for a sneaky poison attack.
You never lose your cheap tactics, do you centipedes?
Without entirely knowing how, I extending the gravitational energy from my mandibles towards the centipede and like a rope it twists through the air with blinding speed, almost as if I'd fired a grappling hook through the air.
A strange sensation of latching on reverbs through the coil of mana and into my mandibles, and gain, without really knowing how, I pull on the rope.
With spectacular effect.
As if kicked by an invisible giant the centipede is suddenly yanked into the air directly towards me! The movement seems to defy all the laws of physics as I manage to pull this far heavier creature towards me without actually moving a muscle!
I doubt the poor centipede has absolutely no clue what is going on as it is very suddenly airborne, flying in a straight line towards the waiting jaws of a particularly menacing ant.
The adult centipede hurled towards me as if pulled by an invisible string.
Haha! Behold the power of gravity mandibles!
After my evolution these larger centipedes don't look nearly as threatening to me, I could defeat them easily before and now that I'm so much larger than I was I hold no fear of them at all.
CRUNCH!
I great the arriving monster with a fearsome snap of my jaws, directly severing the creature in two!
[You have defeated level 6 Adult Claw Centipede]
[You have gained experience]
This is amazing! The power of gravity eh?
With my first foe defeated I turn my eye to the progress of the battle.
What had begun as a long line of monsters battling each other has quickly squashed into a broad, circular grand melee, with monsters hurling themselves into battle with each other as far as my eyes can see. The constant noise from all of this fighting is only serving to attract more creatures and so with each passing moment the fight extends further into the forest and grows yet more louder.
Tiny is already is the thick of it, smashing out devastating electrical punches with reckless abandon, the joy of battle sparking in his bat eyes. I hope he doesn't get carried away.
As a matter of fact, it would do for a master to be outperformed by his own pet!
Just as Tiny is about to join battle against a fearsome looking antlered monster I reach out to it with my gravitational energy and latch on, yanking it towards me and right out from under the confused apes nose.
Haha! Take that you ape!
The monster is a little quicker to react than I would have expected however, lowering its many pointed antlers towards me and bellowing with fury at having been summarily pulled through the air.
Yikes!
Quickly jumping out of the way I totally forgot that what the beast was being pulled towards was none other than myself!
Idiot!
CRASH!
Luckily the sudden change in direction was enough to throw the point of impact off and the antlered creature smashing in the ant hill beneath my feet. Even so my legs get clipped and I'm sent spinning madly into the dirt.
Shaking my head I get my feet under me and prepare to do battle with this new beast. My opponent looks similar to buck, or at least, what I imagine a buck would look like if it had been on a steady diet of steroids and its antlers were made of glittering steel.
This beast is absolutely bulging with muscle! What sort of gym junkie of a deer are you?! You need to be more mindful of your health, deer! Those supplements aren't legal!
Staggering to its feet the poor monster is still looking a little the worse of wear after the sudden journey it was forced to undertake. I won't miss this chance! Dashing forward I don't give the beast the time to gain its bearings and chomp down on one of its legs with my mandibles!
Crushing Bite!
The deer howls in agony as my mandibles squeeze down on the leg, tearing muscle and splintering the bone.
Monsters in this Dungeon don't go down without a fight though! Before I can release my grip and bite again the deer has swung its head, smashing into me with those fearsome metallic horns.
Crash!
The impact staggers me but my carapace holds up under the pressure and isn't punctured by the sharp tips of the antlers.
Thanks for giving me your neck!
Chomp!
[You have slain level 9 rapit cervum]
[You have gained experience]
Haha! Now I'm getting into the swing of it.
Just to satisfy my curiosity I quickly lean down and take a quick bite out of the creature I just defeated.
[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Rapit Cervum; you are awarded one Biomass]
[Basic profile of the Rapit Cervum unlocked]
[Rapit Cervum: Bulky Deer, this impressively muscled monster is incredibly strong and specialises in offense, being somewhat vulnerable. It's metallic element antlers are a deadly weapon].
Bulky deer?! Even Gandalf thinks this creature is overly ripped!
As I turn to identify my next target the first of the colonies reinforcements has begun to appear. Too fast you guys! Why don't you stay down in the nest and let me deal with things for a while?
It's no use however, at first in a trickle that quickly swells to a flood, more and more ants begin pouring out of the top of the ant hill. As soon as they spy the sprawling melee, these workers don't hesitate to leap into battle, charging forward without pause or thought for personal safety!
Streaks of acid begin flying into the air as more and more workers emerge, presenting the business district to their foes and letting fly! In mere moments, almost all of the combatants close to the ant hill have become drenched in acid as yet more ants pour out of the nets.
And then more.
And then more!?
Holy heck? How many of us are there now?!
When I last checked there were several hundred workers and hundred more brood waiting to hatch, the new workers who had been born after the first big battle next to the ant hill. Judging by the sheer number of hatchling workers emerging from the top of the nest some of these must have completed their pupal stage recently!
There must be five hundred monstrous ants here!
Several workers seize on the Biomass I've already secured by yanking it towards me and start dissecting it for transport to the nest.
Seeing the hordes of workers pouring out of the ant hill so close to me a sudden though strikes me. Rather than the workers running out into the battle and risking their lives, what if I brought the battle to them?!
No sooner has the thought occurred to me than I have reached out and latched onto the fearsome Lion Ogre, rampaging through smaller foes at the foot of the hill.
Come on up, big guy!
Once again the monster is yanked towards me as if fired out of a cannon. By shifting my position at the last moment I make sure that the poor beast slams into the side of the ant hill without crushing me to death.
When the dust settles, a dazed and angry Lion Ogre is slowly starting to pick itself up, not realising that it is currently surrounded by hundreds of monstrous ants.
In an instant, the monster is completely covered in hatchling workers, biting furiously and spraying acid and close range.
Vale Lion Ogre, your sacrifice shall not be in vain!
Checking on my gland I can see that my infused mandibles are draining the gravitational energy gland at a fairly rapid pace, each use is fairly mana intensive. If I can pluck a few more monsters out for the colony to take care of that would help the situation greatly.
Even as the Lion Ogre is enduring its final moments I'm already searching my next target.
Aha!
A Croca-Beast!
YOINK!
After casting out my hook, the unsuspecting monster is pulled towards me at speed, slamming into the ant hill as I dodge to one side at the last moment.
Once again the monster is completely covered in workers before it even manages to make sense of the situation.
Hopefully I can do this for a bit longer and keep the most of the ants out of the main battle as long as possible!