Chrysalis

Chapter 2

The world before the System Descent is mystery to us now, any records of that time disappeared during the Rending or were lost in the centuries since. How did those people judge each other, unable to view themselves with perfect numerical accuracy as we so easily can today?

Was that society a more equitable place? When the worth of a human being can be weighed with such precision, strict roles and structures are easy to maintain, perhaps back then, when the qualities of each individual were more nebulous, it allowed greater freedom, greater choice in a persons' life? Many believe the System elevated us, empowered us to fight back against the great cataclysm, but many of the wise question this narrative, we know what we gained in the Descent, but we can no longer recall what we lost.

Exert from page 15 of "Ruminations on the pre-Descent society" by Illarion the heretic.

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Okay. So I have a skill point and a body point to spend? If this is a game-like situation then I would be able to open some sort of menu in order to spend my points and improve myself. How do I access this menu here in my tunnel though?

Erm. Level up!

No, that didn't work.

Escape! Escape key!

… Nothing.

I mean, worth a shot right?

Sigh.

Status!

Whoa!

Name: Anthony

Level: 1

Might:15

Toughness:12

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 30

MP: 0

Skills: Digging level 1; Acid Shot Level 1; Grip Level 3; Bite Level 2

Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)

Biomass: 1

Skill Points: 1

Wow, this is really interesting! My status huh?

The first time I saw these numbers I thought they looked high but perhaps they are actually really low? I can't imagine a hatchling ant worker has an impressive status in any way. And what are these skills?

mean I can hold

Ability to hold onto surfaces and objects without letting go, for example,

of Lord Gandalf! My lord! My savior! Truly your beard is the most luxurious, your eyebrows the

of help system built into the status to explain the skills when I think of them?

do that. I'll have to try it as soon as I get out

do my other

and forcefully apply a bite using fangs,

sub-conscious guidance when digging to increase

attack from a distance using a natural acid

Okaaaaay.

formic acid from their rear zone. I must belong to a monstrous species of formic acid spraying ant then. This could be very helpful, it gives me an option to attack without getting too close to my opponent, a course of

That doesn't seem like a lot of tools to

place other than ants like me and Croca-beasts, I've no idea where the surface is or if the surface even exists in this world. I can't

I'll have to get

Hmmm.

That's so

go out there with who knows how many unknown horrors as a lone little ant monster?!

help this situation in any way. Stay rational, stay cool, stay

is, what can I spend my points on

you like to spend your skill

wise and magnificent Gandalf, bringer of hope, bringer of light, may your beard be ever

with my status, a window opens

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

can use skill points to purchase new skills

or modify aspects of your physical,

[Skills available to purchase:

1sp, improves your ability to

over

more accurate and powerful

1sp, bites pierce more and are more difficult

sense: cost 1 sp, improves

available to

+1: harden your exoskeleton to improve

toughen mandibles and

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

sensitivity to air

+1: thicken the concentration of

a lot of options! It's very difficult to choose! I have to

be escape my enemies, tunnel sense would make it harder for me to

Taking abilities to help me fight would only be suicide, if I attack a monster I can't defeat then it'll be game over straight

to assume I am

I have made

Eyes +1

you like to purchase Eyes +1 and the

Yes, please.

feel a maddening itch burst over my eyes,

Gaaah!

scratch this itch, I might

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