Chrysalis

We venture forth, squeezing into the narrow tunnel and descending into the depths. Every now and again I can detect a monster forming and this prevents us being ambushed as we pick our way down.

I've managed to pile up a healthy amount of Biomass over the last while and none of it has been spent. While I wasn't paying attention it stacked up to twenty one! This was unheard of wealth when I was just starting out, completely ridiculous. Now, I've managed to not even realise I had so much as I devoted all of my attention and energy on my skills.

With this much I can purchase the +6, +7 and +8 upgrades for a single organ, but which to pick? I could go the new hotness of the gravitational organ or the old reliable of the infused mandibles, even hark all the way back to the eyes?

I think I'll go something that is directly combat relevant and upgrade my mandibles to +8. I don't want to run into anything else I can't tear through with my trusty face scissors. Combined with the power of my shattering bite skill this upgrade could have a powerful effect!

[Do you wish to improve Mandibles to +8? this will cost 21 Biomass]

Go for it!

OH GOD!

My face! MY PRECIOUS FACE!

Once again the horror of the mutation itch has somehow slipped my mind completely and has stormed back to remind me just how mind meltingly irritating it really is.

My face is on fire. FIRE I SAY!

There was a distinct leap in the level of itch from +4 to +5, but I had assumed that was largely because of the mutation advancement. Apparently not!

Eventually the feeling fades and I came back to my senses. Tiny is impatiently standing behind me whilst I have been wibbling about the place madly scratching at my face. Don't look at me like that you lousy ape! Why is it I never see you scratching away yourself when you mutate?

I'm going to try and keep a closer eye on these pets of mine and see if I can spot them having trouble as they upgrade themselves. To help them? Of course not! I shall point and laugh! Let's see the look on your face then, Tiny!

Having recovered we continue on our way down the tunnel and we come to the section of tunnel were we had connected to an existing section of Dungeon in order to hunt and feed the colony. Here the trail stops. It looks like whatever had drilled out the old escape tunnel had started from here and not from the old nest.

Thank goodness!

had followed us all the way up here we would have had some serious problems, not to mention the human town would

scene from the first time we invaded this place. Low level Dungeon monsters fighting each

[Get 'em Tiny!]

tunnel is barely large enough for the big ape to move comfortably, being the kind of smaller offshoot tunnel that I had been born in rather than a main thoroughfare. He makes the best of it though and

target is quickly set upon by nearby creatures as its movement becomes

larger, main tunnel. The monsters we find there should be more on our level and provide a larger boost to our growth. If I'm lucky we might even

Tiny in front we follow the twist and turns of the tunnel for thirty minutes, punching our way through every step of the way, before we come to

a much larger passage, the sound of

Perfect.

a rolling brawl of the sorts of monsters we had become accustomed to seeing in the forest. Bear Tyrants, Lion Ogres, Wolf-Dragons and others that I've never seen before. Armoured lizards the size of horses with mighty club like tails and two heads are facing off against huge creatures with snakelike tails that lead to an upright body festooned

I shuffle forward a little so I get a good look at

[You okay there buddy?]

carnage before him as if he were dying of thirst and

looks like a giant bat faced

you that desperate to fight things?!

You stand there and take in the sights. I'll jump

Bwahahahaha!

into the main tunnel, mandibles ablaze with energy as I channel mana into

Shattering Bite!

down on the nearest monster who, refreshingly, doesn't

starting to pump through my body as the excitement rises in

out

Bear who rumbles and slashes at the air in response to my provocation, bearing its tremendous fangs,

some of this