Chrysalis

Muahaha!

Here in the tunnels my supreme senses are once again able to display their full dominance! Enhanced compound eyes! Heat detecting antennae! Mana detection! All of these things combine to ensure nothing can sneak up on me in here.

In fact, it will be I who will do the sneaking!

So long as Tiny stays a reasonable distance behind.

According to the Tunnel Map this cave seems to be winding slightly downward and curving to the left. There are various twists and turns but that seems to be the overall trend. After being in the forest, where mayhem seems to reign at all times at the moment, entering these quiet tunnels is a shocking difference. Being able to hear the faint echoes of my legs skittering or Tiny’s hands gripping on the rocks has me jumping at shadows!

What a sec!

My antennae start furiously wiggling in the air as I attempt to confirm the faint sensation I just detected. Yes! A heat signature has whispered against my antennae, something is approaching, not far away at all!

Turning quickly, I hustle Tiny into a crevice against the wall of the tunnel and wait, hoping we haven’t been discovered. I want to be able to get the jump on these monsters, whatever they may be! This ant is hungry for battle! Mainly for the Xp and Biomass but also to battle!

This may just be another aspect of my adjusting attitude after being reborn in this world but the thrill and excitement of fighting for your own food, the contest to see which lifeform is worthy to go on, growing stronger on the remains of the other...

It’s just really fulfilling... somehow?

I tense myself as the heat readings draw closer. I think I’m picking up multiple heat sources actually... or perhaps one large one? I’m sensing multiple sources, each very similar. Perhaps multiple monsters of the same type?

I’m still not used to my heat detection sense dammit!

A moment later they come into sight. There are three of them, climbing upside down on the roof. The first impression I get is, these guys didn’t skip leg day. Each of them has four seriously long legs, similar to a spider’s legs, that extend far below their heads before reaching a joint and returning to grip the ceiling. Suspended in the middle of these limbs is their main body, similar to a leech they resemble a tube with a hideous fanged mouth capping one end. Two clawed hands extend from the center of their.... Torso.

I’m not currently seeing any eyes on these things... can they see at all?

Just as the trio of ... spider leeches... is about to pass over my head I slowly turn and reposition myself to display the business district in all of its glory. Thankfully my subtle movement isn’t spotted and the tree monsters pass over Tiny and I without twitching.

POW!

the acid

a chance to

like one hundred cats

me with dizzying speed and before I can release my second acid blast

happened! I can’t see a damned

find I can still detect the body heat of our three opponents, as well as Tiny next to me. Gritting my mandibles I activate mana

than I feel a sharp wind

a Christmas tree. Although it’s distracting and difficult to keep the skill active for a long

immediately begins to crackle around his body, twisting and writhing down his arms like deadly serpents, but he has

and there, anticipating a strike at any moment. My sense are telling me that the three spider leeches are still attached to

I hear the occasional crunch as some projectile smashes in

This is dangerous!

all my strength towards and then up the wall. Three versus one they’ll certainly win the ranged battle, so I’m going to join them on the

sensing has

sub-brain burning out, maintaining the detection skill requires a lot of concentration and I’m not really helping to carry the load with my main mind, since I’m focusing on the fight. Hold on for a bit

dark, not a whisper of light is reaching my eyes, even from the walls under my very feet. I can’t imagine anything natural would be able to produce such an

with a core advanced enough to cast spells must have evolved several times, surely!

I can, Tiny has finally had enough. I can almost feel the rage burning in

have been so lucky, I can feel their heat signature flinch and the mana in their bodies appears

all I need! With the speed of a leopard ... ant, I rush onto the ceiling and dash

left I weave in between its long legs and clamp down with a

biting down a spider legged leech monster’s

...

Disgusting.

Seriously disgusting.

in deep mud, before the monster basically... pops,

I mean... YUCK!

Dammit Gandalf!

have slain level

[You have gained experience]