Chrysalis

After digging our narrow channel to the farm tunnel I get Tiny to place two large stones to act as the dam before we dig out the last of the soil and the water begins to flow. I notice a few branchies have poked their heads out of their trees, watching our activities. I think perhaps they may worried about us interfering with the pond.

I try to give a reassuring wave of my antennae but I’m not sure that will be enough to allay their fears. I guess we can only show that we mean no harm by executing the plan and letting them see how harmless it is.

Workers have started coming over to the pond in the last few days in order to drink the mana water. With the farm nearby it isn’t surprising that the scouts have managed to forage their way over here. Naturally once one ant finds something good the rest will soon know about it. I was a little concerned that there might be conflict but for the most part the ants have simply ignored any branchie they’ve found, probably not seeing much, if any Biomass in them.

I’m quite excited though. This will help more workers form their cores which will in turn cause them to grow even stronger when they evolve.

When everything is in place Tiny picks up our damming rock and the mana infused water flows down our channel before eventually falling into our pre-dug basin within the farm. After a minute or so Tiny drops the rock back into position with a splash and the water ceases to flow.

The branchies, who had seemed a little alarmed when the water was flowing out of their pond, relax and move back towards their trees, quickly melding out of sight.

I head straight over to the farm to see how the monsters within have reacted. Sure enough, those who have just spawned are immediately attracted to the water source. No water truce to be seen here though. They rabidly fight over it, shovelling the water into their mouths as quickly as they can.

I retreat back up the tunnel. I’ll lead the workers down to collect the Biomass later, hopefully we will have a core or two to show for our efforts.

With this job done it is time to turn my attention back to my new skill and its applications. After maxing out Mana Shaping I gained Mana Transformation, the much anticipated and eagerly awaited skill!

After reading the description and then slowly digesting the dump truck of knowledge and instincts the skill dropped in my brain I’ve been gradually building an understanding of it.

This skill will finally allow me to change the raw mana stored in my core into other, useful types, without relying on the short cut of having an organ do the job for me. Only issue is, changing the mana into a specific type is painfully complicated!

I’m still nibbling at the edges of what was placed in my brain. This skill was by far the biggest information overload I’ve had from a single purchase.

so intricate that it requires the use of both hands, both feet and your face to play it. From what I understand so far you need to be shifting the mana in

Dimensions!

you manage to master that obscenely complex instrument well enough that you can efficiently transform the mana into the required type and

entirely new fiendish instrument to learn

the techniques required for relatively simple mana forms, like water or fire. When I tried to think about what I would need to do for space magic I nearly passed out just

handled for me, it is done well before any spell casting takes place. This also goes a

transformation learning on, mind magic! I need to be able to communicate just like Formo and the Sophos do! This will bridge the final hurdle in being

that mind magic is a fiendishly complex transformation. At least three or four times harder than

powerful physical body already, at least, powerful enough for the time being.

spend some time on manipulating my cores and grinding levels in Core Engineering.

Even if I’m not gaining levels, my strength is improving and I’m able to spend time on critical skills that I wasn’t able to before. This will prepare me for the time

shifting values in my cores

with mental exhaustion

...

Oi.

gentle thwack on the head but she seems non fussed, happily wiggling back and forth as she

...

worth spending the resources on to raise up strong. In fact, wouldn’t she be able to perform a special evolution for her very first change? That is something even I wasn’t able

increases the need for cores even

Dammit!

monsters in there. I make sure

and leaving I tap the little ant on my head with an antennae to get her

go