Chrysalis

The Biomass left behind by the demon was even less appetising in appearance than my usual fare, but that doesn't mean I'm going to leave a juicy pile of Biomass on the floor. I need 'dem points! So I stuff my +25 stomach until the only remnant of that hideous demon is the rather large glowing core on the floor.

After my last match and I obtained the core of the Rhino I did what I usually do with such a core. I pushed my core surgery skill to the limit making edits that I felt made sense until it felt like making further changes was like shifting a brick wall with my eyeballs, then I absorbed it. Surprisingly enough, the monster had contained a rare core, pushing my MP higher by a good chunk. I still haven't maxed out my core for this evolution, so I've been spared the pain and discomfort of pushing my core beyond its limit so far.

But this core. This just might be what I'm looking for. The core is also rare, not surprising considering the sheer power of the monster. I could muck about with the core and then absorb it, but I feel that might be a waste of this opportunity! This monster is exactly what I want! Even the profile seems to suggest that this creature would be ideal for the pet I've been needing to fill!

[Luminare Daemon Invidia: Lesser Envy Demon, This Lesser Demon has shed it’s base demonic shell and taken on the aspect of Envy. All Envy demons are supremely jealous and covet what they perceive others to have. To that end they are intensely insightful, able to see that which others would rather keep hidden, and use powerful mental abilities to dominate their opponents through magical combat.]

Even the brutally dominant magic user that I encountered was just the lesser variant?! And what does it mean by 'shed its base demonic shell'. It seems to suggest that a demon doesn't even count as a proper demon until they reach tier six?! My own colony members are considered fully fledged members when they reach tier three! And it's not like it's twice as tough to reach tier six as it is tier three, it’s forty levels to get to tier three including core formation. It's three hundred and twenty to get to tier six! Monstrous!

Putting aside what life may be like in the Third Strata, the weak physical skills, lack of mobility and focus on pure spellcasting make this monster feel as if it doesn't belong on its own, flying solo. As part of a group, acting as a support caster? Perfection! Eager to investigate the possibilities to their fullest I bring my antennae down to touch the core and activate the core surgery skill. My mind is immediately flooded with the densely encoded biology of the demon.

Holy moly! Granin wasn't kidding when he told me that the creatures from the lower strata get access to some sweet goodies that I'd never clapped eyes on. Dimensional pocket?! They get their own little bag of holding in which to store their own guts! That explains the gizzard explosion when I finally finished the monster off… Still, that's only the beginning.

construct technique to leverage those raw stats. It goes without saying that the demon has far higher mental stats than I do, whilst its physical stats are fully in tank mode. Some of these organs are just crazy. Eye of Envy? Allows the

to round out my little gang. Without buying more pet related Skills I won't be able to have any more pets than three, but I don't need or want more than that. I'm starting to really feel the pinch in terms of resources to provide for the pets. The sheer number of cores, amount of experience and weight of Biomass required to keep them as strong as possible is getting hard to find. And that situation is only going to get worse. I need to make sure that I myself keep levelling and upgrading my mutations to keep pace with the threats I seem to continuously run into, which naturally takes away from what I can

you doing, Anthony? Practicing your Core Surgery?] Torrina breaks

out my group. I think it will fit quite nicely! I need a support type caster and this guy will fit the role admirably well when he

for a moment before

funny?] I

all the way to tier six, training and guiding its development, only

and organs work well

absorbing this core will mean that you'll be that little bit weaker for your next fight? Can you really afford to plan for the

think it's rubbish that I can't take pets into the fights,] I grumble, [I spent a lot of time and effort on my

A competition of wealth is not in the interests of the Cult,] Torrina reminds

throw away all of my long term goals to survive this tournament, what will I have left in the event that I do win? Nothing! I'll be

agree with what you're saying. It's one of the reasons that I agree with Granin on this tournament. Pushing monsters to fight or die forces

no point holding back, let's make this