Chrysalis

[We need more of this. As soon as you can get it.]

…

[Uh, okay? Maybe take it out of my face a little so I can see it?]

An unusually forceful and intent Enid is waving something in my face with shaking hands. As soon as I waddled my way into the village someone had gone to fetch her and the normally dignified older lady had arrived at a dead run, her skirts hiked up with one hand and the other clutching this, object.

As she withdraws the object slightly I can see that it is, as suspected, the mana infused wood that I delivered to Beyn a day or so ago.

[Ah. Finally got your hands on that did you? So what is it?] I enquire.

[It's mana infused wood.]

[I can see that plain as day! What is it good for?!]

Enid huffed with her hands on her hips.

[Well that's a different question, isn't it?] she held the branch tenderly in her hands, like a newborn babe, [this wood has absorbed the plentiful mana of the Dungeon and taken on the attributes that surrounded it.]

[Yeah?]

kinds of materials from the Dungeon are treasured and worth just as much as cores. Nations fight over the rights to expanses and other regions that produce this kind of thing fiercely. They are rare and

losing my

materials like this will amplify the effect. For example, if a staff where made for a

[Ooo, that is handy.]

[Not only that. You could make shields, swords, armour, or artefacts that

pointed out, [water

declared Enid, once again waving the stick with vigour in my face, [is the most important thing! Double affinity! Double the offensive boost, double the defensive!

can we do with it? I doubt there are any master enchanters hanging around the village currently, and the colony certainly doesn't have the ability to make

Yet.

scenes of the great

Gweheheheh.

within

Anthony. Play it cool. The inevitable ant

me strangely. Dammit Anthony, don't let the ambition be

woman answered warily, [but we do have a few tradespeople, apprentices and, more importantly, we have Beyn to

up those skills? Just how

She shook her head.

think. By accelerating level growth in the Dungeon and with expert knowledge to crack the unlock conditions, the only thing missing is materials to

is why you want me to bring more up. The question I have for you is, what's in it for the colony? The expanse is ours and we are the only

course. I was also able to extract a promise from a curious Enid to engage in a knowledge sharing arrangement, where the village would inform

it was time to return to the nest and check in on my class of hatchlings. Once more painfully shifting my legs one by one as shooting beams of agony rippled through