Chrysalis

I’ve finally done it.... FINALLY!

I played the patient game, minimised my risks, limited my exposure and it slowed me down for sure but I’ve finally reached this point. I’ve been so tempted! Gandalf knows how tempted I’ve been! I could have just dashed out of the tunnels and into the forest, battling monsters with reckless abandon!

It would have been glorious, a sea of battle and endless challenge. Only a true monster would be able to rise above that struggle to evolve, this the choice of the brave, the bold and the courageous!

Also the choice of the idiot!

I, Anthony, am not an idiot! The proof is in the pudding! I am alive and I have reached level ten without drawing unwanted attention to myself or putting the colony at risk! Who could possibly argue that I made the wrong decision?

Bwahahahaha!

Honestly I’m extremely delighted right now.

Tiny is giving me a look of betrayal, as if I’d stolen candy straight from his hands. Are you that addicted to kill stealing from me you cheeky monkey?!

Cheer up Tiny, we are going to have plenty of Biomass for the moment!

As pumped as I am to evolve we have to deal with everything in order, things must be in their proper place before evolution can occur. For now we have an enormous bear worth of Biomass that we need to deal with.

For starters, this bear is so damn big we can’t just drag it down into the tunnel in one piece so the unpleasant task of butchery falls to me. Thankfully now that the monster is no longer alive its unnatural toughness is somewhat reduced, so despite being rough going I eventually manage to get all of the food down into the tunnel. Then I take a few more moments to reset the cover for the pitfall.

Down in the tunnels Tiny is already drooling all over himself, ready to start cramming his face. There is so much food down here it is taking up an inordinate amount of space. No way we finish all of this in one go.

May as well get to it!

Om nom nom.

[You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Ursus Terra Tyrannos; you are awarded one Biomass]

[Basic profile of the Ursus Terra Tyrannos unlocked]

[Ursus Terra Tyrannos: Earth Bear Tyrant, This monster is known for its extreme toughness and strength. Surprisingly fast, this beast is ferocious and easily aggravated. Known for its affinity to the earth and natural environs this monster has powerful regenerative abilities.]

regenerative abilities though?

any rate, he’s food

Tiny and I are groaning and full I’ve managed to stow away seven points of Biomass from the bear, which takes me up to 15. Despite this,

the third trip I’m met on the way by a fellow mature worker ant. There seems to be more of these guys around at the moment, perhaps the experience harvested by my earlier actions has been successful as

when I was a human. When two workers meet each other they frequently inspect each other using their antennae. Communicating in some strange way,

me head on, stops, and then we engage in a

vague feeling we are generally pleased to see each other and then off he

the traps, apparently they had little trouble finding the rest of the food and has started transporting it back to the colony. I can probably leave the rest of that

a good thing in the end as I may not even need to be here for the traps to provide food for the colony. If I set and bait the traps and leave, there will probably be some workers hanging about looking for food due to the trails. When a monster falls into the pit, these workers will immediately attack and call for reinforcements,

out much better

time to take care of

the way to +5, which will leave me with three, enough to take my legs from +1 to +2 and

think it would make much difference to anything but for the sake of

choosy Anthony! Be grateful for

Ok, here we go!

to mutate pheromones to +5 and legs to +2? This

Yes!

can choose a

juicy choices for this

to choose from each with its own pros and cons. Longer lasting pheromones, wider range pheromones, mind affecting pheromones?! Sensory manipulation pheromones?! Poisonous

There are so many ridiculous options! Control your saliva Anthony! Preserve your

more juicy choices appearing every moment. Who would have thought the pheromone gland would have such a wide variety of directions to choose

I see an option that I’m not sure I can

increases the variety of pheromones produced and increases the sophistication of the pheromone release system, creating a more

....

I could

inside my own head this entire time, it would wonderful to be able to talk, even if I’m just talking to myself! I don’t have vocal chords, the best I’ve managed so far is to snap my mandibles at things in

who I’d be able to talk to... I mean, the workers can sense pheromones but without this particular upgrade they wouldn’t really be able to talk back. Would they be able to understand what

me a chance to communicate at all. If I pass it up who knows if I’ll be able to find another option? Perhaps at some point telepathy will come up as a brain upgrade or a type of magic I could learn,

willing to let this chance slide, I will

the Pheromone