Chrysalis

Finally! Back in the nest and away from the crazy! The Kaarmodo is gone (hopefully) and I have nothing to worry about. Let's go get it!

Full of energy, I barrel into the nest and charge down the main shaft. I'm heading for that Dungeon and nothing's going to stop me! Lumbering behind, Tiny shares my enthusiasm. He missed the entire battle and I can tell he's sour about it. The closer we get to the Dungeon, the brighter the big ape's eyes become. By the time we make it to our old resting place his ears are twitching with excitement. I'm with you Tiny, it'll be great to get back to the simple life!

[Eldest.]

No. Pls. Don't do it to me like this. I was so close. So damn close!

[What is it Victor?]

The now much smaller than me general crawls out of a side tunnel to appear in my line of sight.

[I was hoping to have a quick word before you left.]

[Okay, Victor. Hit me. What's happening.]

[The council wants to elevate Vibrant to the position left vacant by Grant's passing. She's the logical choice as the next eldest soldier in the colony, even if she probably won't be around all that much. What do you think?]

[It's fine with me,] I say, a little exasperated. [You don't need me to okay these things. Just do what you think is best.]

[Of course. We just wanted to make sure you approved.]

[It's fine,] I repeat. [Is there anything else?]

itching to go

moment before she shrugs

when you get back. This time is important for the development of the colony. We don't want anything to go

[There's nothing here to stop

feel the slight chill in the air that descends in the face of my

back. Just keep it simple. Everyone needs to keep learning, keep growing the colony and secure more territory, but slowly. No need to complicate

That's what we thought

when we get

And finally free!

into the Dungeon at last!

last vestiges of the wave are beginning to fade now, monsters no longer spring from the walls fully formed, mana levels are sinking back to what I got to experience for a brief time just after I was born. It hasn't fallen to that point yet though, and spawn rates from normal spawn locations are still higher than normal. The colony has been busy cleaning out the tunnels around the nest as fast as possible in order to make use of this. Even the farms have largely been abandoned now, left to try and develop their own ecosystems, hopefully a few

the colony hasn't been

unstoppable fists. As he goes to work, a grin splits his face and lightning dances across his mighty shoulders. Crinis also lets her… tentacles… down, and the cold fury of the JellyMaw is once again unleashed on the poor denizens of the Dungeon. I can almost see Crinis' cold smile as her writhing limbs perform their dark dance, tearing limb from limb and cutting

far more than I do and it's soothing to me in a curious way to watch my two friends go to work. A bit of acid here and there is the extent of my contribution. More to let myself grow accustomed to my new range and aiming capacity than anything else. Being able to shoot in front of me without having to turn around is such a boon I can hardly describe it. Especially now that I'm this large. As an insect, I'm not especially flexible,

faster, I can fire it for days! Very happy with my acid system overall. And with new organs comes new opportunities for mutation! I need to play around with my new abilities a little more before I decide on what to do there. If I make a

we find something of a reasonable tier. None of us is particularly struggling for Biomass right now, after consuming Garralosh we have a mighty hoard, but it

for consuming Biomass of a lower tier monster. Doesn't eliminate it, but

shortcut I'd constructed earlier, this large and spacious chamber is,

its importance, it's only natural that the place

[How goes it everyone?]

they return to their tasks. A constant stream of Biomass is being brought into the space and taken

not seem like much, but over time it'll rapidly add up. The Queen, post evolution, is now able to produce three hundred eggs per day, bringing the weekly total numbers to two thousand eight hundred new

Which is many.