Chrysalis

[How long will you be gone for?] Enid asks worriedly.

[As long as it takes to remove the threat] I reply.

This is why I don't like coming up here to the human camp. No sooner did I appear than people started gathering and pointing. Then the priest came at a run, his face flushed with excitement and began exhorting the people to pay their respects to me. In a flash I had people raising their hands or kneeling nearby as I nervously waited for Enid to show up.

I'm thankful the crowd maintained a respectful distance from me. It seems their fear of Dungeon monsters isn't completely gone.

[Do you have any idea what is actually causing these monsters to attack the surface?] she asks.

[I'm not sure. I have a few suspicions, but I don't exactly know what we are up against. The colony, and by extensions you humans, are not safe while the Expanse below us continues to send out these monsters. They need to be removed]

Enid frowns as she ponders my words. Why am I even here? I could have just spoken to the Queen and then disappeared underground, nobody here in the camp would have been the wiser. It isn't as if they see me very often, I'm almost always underground already.

I guess Enid herself has been helpful and respectful. I don't really have any reason to keep her in the dark. Since this expedition has a direct impact on their own safety, I suppose it doesn't hurt to tell them.

Just…. Give me a little space people!

[The people here seem remarkably well disposed towards ant monsters. Is that safe?] I'm forced to ask as a child attempts to sneak forward and touch me only to be snatched back by an adult.

Enid looks at me oddly for a moment before replying.

[You and your colony have kept these people safe on several occasions. The only reason we have been able to settle here and start making a life for ourselves again is that you and your colony are here, taming the land and protecting us. Of course, we are grateful. With Beyn here that gratitude is only getting more ingrained]

Damn priest…

I'll need to have words with him at some point, but for now, I'm worried he may just take it as some sort of divine visitation. The guy is just odd. I bit his arm off, how did he end up such a fervent supporter?!

Enid hesitates before speaking again. [There are a lot of valuable resources that can be extracted from an Expanse. I was a merchant before, and I know the value of many things that can be found in the Dungeon. If you see something that looks special, bring it to me, and I can tell you about it].

Hmmmm.

[I'll think about it].

Biomass and monster cores, what else does the colony require? On the off chance that something useful can be found down there, I might keep

reluctantly part to let me through, the priests' voice raising to an even higher crescendo before I manage to disappear out of sight. Somehow, not being able to hear exactly what

to Mother. As always she expresses concern for my safety but

Naturally!

doesn't let his family down.

Vibrant unexpectedly gently in one massive paw and Crinis hops onto my

little nervous. We are throwing ourselves into the great unknown in order to protect the colony from harm. Something about it just makes my ant heart sing. Going to have to watch out for this feeling

handle this level of danger, so it has to

waves we take the long way down, sweeping the tunnels clean and using the creatures we find to get a little extra xp in the bank before we get to the Expanse. If we can level up even one skill by one point it might be help by more than we expect. To this end I use my new bite attack, Ripping Bite, exclusively. This ends up is some…. Messy combats. Crinis seems to approve but I personally aren't as much

it takes us a number of hours to reach the Expanse, deep below the surface. When we approach Vibrant finally begins to show

a look at her

outside the Marsh Expanse I decide to put Crinis on guard duty whilst the rest of us open up the shortcut, clear out a small section of tunnel and nestle down for a

about us for this next test. If Vibrant is going to be fighting alongside us I want to make sure

take long for her to wake up

long did

I'd say it

we? Did

carried you. We

she rushes over to Tiny, tapping him vigorously with

before reaching out with one big

Hee-hee! You're

...

for a moment would you?!"

one foot to the other as she awaits my instructions. No matter how far she evolves I don't

a look at your core and see what your stats are like.

"Sure-sure!"

Alright then.