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

all the ridiculous good luck I’ve had? It hasn’t been easy to survive to this point you know?! Where

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 formation of

I think about though, I’ve sacrificed a significant upgrade to my stats in order to condense the core which has given me, in effect, only ten MP that

to advance now into what is likely more dangerous territory than I have experienced already, those

the prospect of being able to use

to level one may not be that bad, doesn’t it mean that I’ll be able to level back up to five and evolve again? Which also means I’ll be able to gain

better. I’ll have a second opportunity to amass skill points as an unevolved creature which could allow me to gain more levels

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

walk out into the open

place is

my left and right the walls curve away into the distance to a place I cannot see, my eyesight isn’t good enough, even at plus four, to be

so I 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 at in great detail, my eyes are

I’ve been so frustrated by the blurry nature of my vision, especially over a distance. It probably also explains why I’ve been able to avoid having anything sneak up on

me 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 be able to advance my mutations

Any clues Gandalf?

...

be surprised at this state. For all his immense wisdom the grey

advice would surely be helpful

stalling. There isn’t anything left for me to

slowly I more down the slope, leaving the shelter of the small tunnel and exposing myself to the open

place, it feels like a fully enclosed world, like a biome or

I can. Strange twisted trees, huge oversized mushrooms and a carpet

alien, for the first time I really

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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