Chrysalis

wwwwWWWACHA!

I'm up!

Snapping alert after my nap I immediately leap into more work. Got stuff to do, no point slacking off like a dumb croc! (yeah I said it!)

First thing on the menu is expanding the farm chambers. I originally thought that two would be fine but now I'm not so sure. I need to be more ambitious if I want to grow the colony to the sort of size it needs to be in order to support itself in a never ending expansion of the glorious ant empire. Everyone wants what's best for their family right? I'm no different. What's best for the colony is obviously Dungeon domination. This is the conclusion I've come to.

To that end I make the existing two chambers larger and dig out another two the same size, relying on my pets and the workers to deal with the dirt issue. The first two chambers have already begun to incubate monsters, I can detect their heat easily. I'm not worried about the monsters taking over the nest either. There is literally two hundred workers and the Queen chilling just above where these farm chambers are. The odds of them overflowing with enough numbers to take out the colony are basically non-existent.

Not to mention the farm chambers connect through narrow passages to my resting place, where Crinis and Tiny will be on guard duty anytime we aren't away from the nest.

The digging also pays off with a level. Taking my excavation to level 8! Every extra level increases my digging efficiency that little bit more and I can't help but be happy to see that happening. After all, digging is the way of ant zen!

Refreshed from my labours I prepare myself for the next task I've set myself for the day. This is one I'm not really looking forward to. I feel nervous about what we experienced in the Marsh Expanse, that formless pressure, those waves of monsters. We can handle the waves ok for now, but what if they get larger? What if more powerful monsters come? I'm getting worried that my current rate of growth isn't enough. Even without laying eyes on the beast in the marsh I'm certain it's going to be a tough cookie to crunch.

I'm feeling some anxiety. There isn't any real direct threat to my family right now but if something were to happen and I couldn't save them…

I refuse to let that happen. I lost my family in the last world but I refuse to let it happen in this one too.

do whatever it takes to make sure this family

registers in my conscious, all that occupies my mind is visions of workers marching themselves down the gullet of

to reinforce your core

Reinforce!

dissipates into pure energy that is drawn into my own core, enlarging and condensing it within my body. It doesn't take long for the pinch to come, the awkward feeling of being a little too full on the inside that grows more unbearable over time

endure! This isn't enough! Not nearly

is finished. It feels…. Not good! But I can take it!

next task. Hopefully over time I'll be able to become accustomed to this size core and the pain will fade much like it did the first time I took in a special core

I'll see about what else

her over the edge and allow her to upgrade her egg laying organ to +10. Eagerly I activate the Core Surgery skill and inspect

And it is beautiful.

a bonus

DAAAAAYMM!

It's really here!

immediately retract the skill and perform an excited six legged tap dance in front

"Yahooo!" I cheer.

seem happy child" the Queen

dance. This music must be