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?

I

and objects without letting

lord! My savior! Truly

I have some sort of help system built into the status to explain the skills

grip skill improves my ability to hold onto stuff with my six legs, including walking on walls and the ceiling? I totally forgot ants could do that. I'll have to try it as

my other skills do

and forcefully

Provides sub-conscious guidance when digging to

from a distance using a natural acid from

Okaaaaay.

of ant on earth that were able to shoot 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 action that I think

the roof, dig and shoot acid? That doesn't seem like a lot

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 communicate with anything since I'm fairly sure I don't even have

have to get it

Hmmm.

so

there with who knows how many unknown horrors as

Came down Anthony, stay cool. Panic will not help this situation in any way. Stay

what can I spend my points on and

like to spend your

bringer of hope, bringer of light, may your beard be ever

a window opens within my

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

purchase new skills or upgrade existing

spent to improve or modify

[Skills available to purchase:

cost 1sp, improves your ability

Increases speed over short distances but increases stamina

sp, more accurate and powerful

bites pierce more and are more difficult to shake

sp, improves sense of direction when

improvements available

to improve

and improve

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

increase sensitivity to air

+1: thicken the concentration of internal

very difficult to choose! I

make it harder

grow here if I can survive. 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 away, improving my speed will be a dead end if I run into something that is faster than I am. Without information, how am I supposed to know what creatures I can fight and how fast

have to assume

have made my

+1

like to purchase Eyes

Yes, please.

over my eyes, like a thousand mosquito bites erupting at

Gaaah!

even scratch this itch, I might poke my own eyes

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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