Chrysalis

Chapter 24

I don’t know how much time had passed before I regain consciousness. The light slowly returns to my eyes and sensation to my limbs.

Deep inside my thorax (the middle bit) a hot, boiling feeling is slowly fading away, drawing in a dense ball of heat. Probably my new core.

Groggily I get my legs underneath me and start slowly moving through the tunnel again. No matter how weak I feel, I cannot stay here to rest, pursuers could be dropping down the shaft to investigate even now. I have to move.

Gradually my muddled thoughts begin to straighten themselves and my coordination slowly returns. As I navigate my way across the rocky tunnel I check my status.

Name: Anthony

Level: 1 (core)

Might: 15

Toughness: 12

Cunning: 25

Will: 18

HP: 30

MP: 10

Skills: Digging level 4; Improved Acid Shot Level 1; Grip Level 4; Bite Level 4; Advanced Stealth Level 1; Tunnel Sense Level 3;

Mutations: Eyes +4, Antennae +2, Acid +3, Legs +1

Species: Hatchling Ant Worker (Formica)

Skill points: 1

Biomass: 0

of downgrades? Why am I level one Gandalf?! My hard work, my accumulated experience, all the ridiculous good luck I’ve had? It hasn’t been easy to survive

from zero to ten it raises my spirit a bit. Looks like my hunch was correct and the monster core is the vital ingredient to mastering magic for me and my fellow creatures down here. This could explain why so many monsters were drawn to the pool in the first cavern I was in. By drinking the water which was somehow suffused with mana they were able to absorb it and hasten the

upgrade to my stats in order to condense the core which has given me, in effect, only ten MP that I can’t use. Was this really the

into what is likely more dangerous territory than

the prospect of

level back up to five and evolve again? Which also means I’ll be able to gain more of

second opportunity to amass skill points as an unevolved creature which could allow me to gain more levels and skill points at a faster pace than evolving would

skills at level four which will need to be advanced once they reach level five. I won’t even look at the skills menu in case

shaken the dust off my mind as I reach the end of the tunnel. Beyond here lies the vast underground space

breath I walk out into the open air once

this place is so

One slip and I would certainly plummet to my own death. To my left and right the walls curve away into the distance to a place I cannot see, my eyesight isn’t

don’t have to blink, more to the point I can’t since I have no eyelids. Secondly, my eyes don’t have one point of focus, unlike a human who can see the one place they are directly looking

of my vision, especially over a distance. It probably also explains why I’ve been able to avoid having anything sneak

and they’ll probably be the first body part I mutate to +5. Since skills can evolve at +5 I’m very excited to see what will happen when a mutation reaches that level. Will I

Any clues Gandalf?

...

his immense wisdom

extra advice would surely be helpful

me to

leaving the shelter of the small tunnel

enough word to describe this place, it feels

far into the distance as I can. Strange twisted trees, huge oversized mushrooms and a carpet of plant-life underneath face

so alien, for the first time I really think

snipping at them to see if they react. When they don’t respond I move toward a giant mushroom. These things are easily twice the height

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