Chrysalis

I climb back up into a tree and hide amongst the foliage whilst I formulate my next moves. Making things more difficult was my fat abdomen but after some sustained effort I got up there.

Ok then, the first thing to worry about is what to do with my skill point. I could upgrade Digging immediately, or I could wait, hold onto the skill point in case I buy something interesting once Mana Manipulation reaches level five.

After considering for a while I decide to ahead and upgrade Digging. After all, what sort of ant doesn’t prioritise being able to dig!

[Digging -> Excavating. cost 1 sp: Increases the ability to shift large amounts of material in a shorter span of time]

Purchase!

If I need to save a skill point I can always keep the next one. I don’t think I’ll be able to max out Mana Manipulation before I level up again, after all, I’m going to keep on hunting centipedes until I get it.

Once I’ve evolved I’ll feel a lot more confident following the trail back to the colony. Not to mention I can go and absorb those hidden monster cores.

Now the Biomass... Four is such an awkward number! Just one more and I’d be able to take my acid to +5! But using it all now and I could upgrade my mandibles to +4...

Arggh!

In the end I decide to upgrade my mandibles right away. That last fight wasn’t so one sided that feel completely confident going into the next one without any real improvement to my fighting ability.

[Do you wish to improve Mandibles to +4? This will cost 4 Biomass]

Go ahead Gandalf!

My face is immediately on fire.

Just .... Why?

When the mutation is finally done my mandibles have become slightly larger and more menacing looking. These chompers are getting more and more potent all the time!

What sort of upgrade will I be able to get at +5? I can hardly wait. With my Biomass spent and my skill points used I’m almost ready for action. All I need to do is what for my digestion to kick in so I don’t look like I’m dragging an expanded sack behind me as I move.

Whilst I wait I practice my Mana Manipulation a few more times, leaving myself gasping with something of a headache. I feel like it’s getting a little easier to move my mana about but not much.

Since I’m already fairly well hidden up here I may as well take a quick nap to get myself back to full fighting shape.

I awake several hours later, ready for round two.

I carefully make my way back to the centipede mound and once again take up my scouting position high in my tree. If I spend any more time up trees I’m going to into a weaver ant. Those ants bend leaves and stick them together to create a nest.

I’ll stick to digging.

For now though I play the waiting game. There doesn’t seem to be much action, certainly no response that would suggest the members of this colony are upset that four of their number have gone missing. I would guess that it isn’t unusual that occasionally a hunting group would disappear, never to return.

After waiting patiently for several hours and watching a few groups leave and a few others return another contingent of four departs the mound and makes their way towards the lake.

Oh ho!

Going for drink of that sweet, sweet mana water eh? I hope you enjoy that drink. For it shall be your last!

worried about keeping close to this group, since they are only heading to the lake I don’t need to worry about

up an ambush and take on this group when they leave

path the

at the intermediate

has strong claws and a venomous spike in its

Might: 11

Toughness: 14

Cunning: 8

Will: 7]

quite similar to mine but the cunning and the will are completely in the tank. I shouldn’t be too surprised I suppose. I doubt every hatchling ant has a cunning as high as 25. My guess is that my high cunning stat is the system assigning a value to

is my real trump card. Without my ability to reason and make planned decisions I would have been dead long ago. Not to mention I can easily exploit

the four centipedes are

visitor? Stay

POW!

moving in a straight line. The

centipedes are immediately enraged, posturing fiercely around their

POW!

One more centipede is sent thrashing on the

two shots discharged I make my position known to the remaining healthy centipedes. Fiercely clacking my mandibles and waving my antennae at them

completely provoked, rushing forward to consume this pesky

grasp hold with their many legs and start climbing, directly into my third

POW!

another centipede has received my acidic blessing! The unfortunate victim

is working just as well as

to feint a slip and the centipede completely falls

deal fatal damage with this bite the cracked carapace

pain the centipede lashes out, catching a glancing blow on my head with its claws before

defeated Level

[You have gained XP]

three wounded

quickly as the remaining centipedes approach the tree I see I’ve only taken one damage so

Good to go!

up the trunk together but this time I don’t head out to a branch. I still don’t want to be surrounded however so

centipede is directly before me

the centipedes can only watch as I directly crash into one of

grappling and biting at each other before we hit the

my momentum to roll

is still scrabbling back to its feet so I charge as

Crushing Bite!

empowers my jaws as I

Bite has reached level

defeated level

[You have gained XP]

there were

descend the tree. I don’t quite feel like I have another acid shot in the tank yet, this is going to have to be done up close