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 can hold onto

onto surfaces and objects without letting go, for example, walking on

Truly your beard is the most luxurious, your eyebrows the most

status to explain the skills

six legs, including walking on walls and the ceiling? I totally forgot ants could do that. I'll have to try it as soon

my other skills do I

accurately and forcefully apply a bite using

digging to increase efficiency and

attempting to attack from a distance using

Okaaaaay.

are many species 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

acid? That doesn't seem like a lot of tools to

of creatures live in this 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 communicate with anything since I'm fairly sure I don't even have vocal chords, so even if I found someone prepared to

if I want any information I'll have to get

Hmmm.

so

how many unknown horrors as a lone

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

is, what can I

like to spend

bringer of hope, bringer

my status, a window opens within

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 1

to purchase new skills or upgrade existing

improve or modify aspects of

[Skills available to purchase:

ability to hide and

speed over short

attack: cost 1 sp, more accurate and powerful

more and are more

sp, improves sense of direction when

available to

exoskeleton to improve resistance to mundane

and improve their ability

Legs +1: improve agility

Eyes +1: improve eyesight

to air

gland +1: thicken the concentration of

is a lot of options! It's very difficult

my enemies, tunnel sense would make it harder for

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

ant worker, I have to

I have made my

+1 and

like to purchase Eyes +1 and the skill:

Yes, please.

feel a maddening itch burst over my eyes, like a thousand

Gaaah!

to me Gandalf! I can't even scratch this itch, I might poke my

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