Chrysalis

I’m willing to admit it. I was a little overconfident. With my skills improving and my core being condensed, I was feeling quite strong. Not that I could devour all in my path but that perhaps I could hold my own as I explored.

NOPE.

Did you see that centipede? It was massive! Clearly the evolved form of the creatures I’d seen above. How is that fair Gandalf?! If I’d evolved into a mature ant worker would I be three metres long and two feet thick?!

How much Biomass is that thing worth?!

Not to mention, as soon as it exposed itself death immediately rained down from above!

I shudder to think what would have happened if I’d been crawling about on the ceiling or gone further into the forest.

I steel my resolve. I knew the creatures would be stronger when I came down here. I also understood the risk I took when I chose to spend my evolution on my monster core instead of boosting my stats immediately.

I refuse to believe there isn’t something in this enormous underground world that I cannot hunt!

Advance Anthony!

Relying on my stealth and my superior senses I will survive!

Refusing to be cowed by the sudden display of lethality from this place I resolutely advance in to the forest.

Stealthily, of course.

As I move properly amongst the foliage, with these bizarre trees and fungi above my head I could almost believe I was on the surface, since the rock ceiling is too obscured for me to see from here.

The strange foliage of the trees is interesting. I presume the trees don’t need sunlight to survive, since there isn’t any down here, so why do they have these strange fleshy leaves? Rather than having many individual leaves the trees have huge, long ones that hang down , some of them almost to the ground. Most of the leaves are a deep shade of purple but others tinge into red, creating a remarkable display of colour everywhere I look.

Presumably these trees are gaining energy from the veins of light, I’m guessing now these are mana veins, that twist everywhere through the floor, branching into their endless patterns.

going to carefully avoid touching those leaves.

my antennae. Crouching low, trying to take advantage of the vegetation that covers the floor I move

can’t chicken out, there is only one way to gather information and progress

the noise, my eyes watching every possible angle simultaneously. My antennae poke forward,

has

advanced skills require far more use before they level up than their basic counterparts. Thankfully

for in the shape of a hulking Croca-beast! Why the heck are these so many of these

admit, I’m

the first monster I’d ever seen, and it was

I’d still be having them over

wide slash, dripping with green blood as well as a few other slashes. It appears this Croca-beast has been involved with some heavy fighting, the beast is breathing heavily through

focus on

horrible crocodiles one on one. This is a chance to finally put

Let’s do this!

I turn and blast the Croca-beast with

side. I was careful to aim the acid so that it would impact onto the wounds, hopefully

beast roars with pain, its massive jaws wide open as it turns to face me. As it does

into the creatures mouth, the other

to keep letting fire acid directly inside their mouths like this

this is clearly a bad day for this particular beast. Having decided on the origin of the ranged assault the Croc charges

Holy moly!

I leap to one side, all six legs skittering as fast as they can do dodge past the brutal dash. The Croc has both hands out, long claws gleaming

Slash!

one side I can feel the air brush past me from the fearsome strike. If that had connected it may just be lights out! I’m afraid this Croc has more life it that

there isn’t a way to back down

me once more I turn my head slightly to get good vision behind me

Fire!