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?]

to

for a brief moment before she shrugs off her

you when you get back. This time is important for the development of the colony.

could go wrong?] I laugh. [There's nothing here to stop

the air that descends in the face of

guys when I get back. Just keep it simple. Everyone needs to keep learning, keep growing the colony

you say, Eldest. That's

I'll drop in to see Mother when we get down there. Catch you

And finally free!

Dungeon at last! Muahahaha! Time for these stupid

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

hasn't been able to clear away all the monsters and we smash them like a bowling ball

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

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, there isn't a whole lot of twisting that goes on, I just have to turn my entire body around to orient my

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

monsters that we come across, pausing to eat Biomass occasionally when we find something of a reasonable tier. None of us is particularly struggling for Biomass right now,

penalty for consuming Biomass of a lower tier monster. Doesn't

much dallying, we make our way down to the Marsh Expanse and find the satellite nest where the Queen is currently residing. Dug into the shortcut I'd constructed earlier, this large and spacious chamber is, for the moment, the beating heart of the colony in the sense that all egg production is occurring here. Even Victoriant

importance, it's only natural that the place is bristling with soldiers

[How goes it everyone?]

me for a moment before they return to their tasks. A

seem like much, but over time it'll rapidly add up.

Which is many.