Chrysalis

The diamond carapace will never yield!

…

I hope! In the meantime, let's not put it to the test and get this freaky mole monster off of my back! As it continues to wail on my precious shiny exterior, I try to flip him off by flinging myself left and right—sand flies as I move with vigour but to no avail. I don't know if he's got glue on his feet or something, but he's managed to dig right in up there. I can't even turn my head around to bite him since I lack a neck and all that.

The answer will have to come from private industry! Even with the monster standing on me, with my newfangled accessories back there, I'm able to lift my abdomen enough that I can get an angle on the beast.

POW! POW! POW! POW!

A rapid-fire barrage of acid! Behold the might and efficacy of my latest product!

"HSSSSSSSSSS!"

The creature sounds like steam escaping a vent as the acid clings to its body, seeping into its already open wounds and burning at its flesh. As it's distracted, I try to fling it off once more, and whatever tension it was holding in its feet breaks. It flies from my back and lands heavily nearby, writhing in pain.

Chance!

I've been hoping for this moment! My sub-brains have been busy crafting the often underutilised inverse-gravity bolts! I have two in the chamber and ready to fly, and once I see the monster land, I unleash them. The two blasts of purple magic fly home and strike the monster right in the centre of its mass. Rather than celebrate I take a second to inspect the damage I've sustained.

carapace across the back of my abdomen and thorax has taken a shredding. Deep gouges that cut almost the entire way through to my body cover me, each weeping the clear gel released from the inner-carapace plating. In terms of HP, I haven't lost much, only twenty points so far in the fight, but if this creature manages to cut through my defence, I don't think he'll need to do it a second time. The

massive damage later in the fight? I don't want to waste usage of

spell, and it shows, the relatively simple magic taking up to ten seconds to form. To save on brainpower, I drop the Gravity Domain. The low mass and high power of the monster made it ineffective anyway. Now that my strategy has flipped less gravity rather than more, it no longer makes sense to spend

POW! POW! POW! POW!

continues to fall. The monster is still suffering the effects from overtaxing its own body, but even as I watch it stand and heave for oxygen, its wounds are starting to heal. It's triggered whatever healing capacity it has. I'm not too worried about it; this was something that I was always going to

it manages to return to full health no doubt. But this presents another opportunity. Taking careful aim, I wait for my chance and fire out my second set of anti-gravity bolts just as the creature is about to finish one dodge roll. Even now, it's still damn quick,

bolts the effect should be starting to show

have had enough. It's burning red flesh, and sizzling blood appears to demand it leap into action and so it does! Only… it doesn't. It tries to dash to one side and build up speed for another of its devastating killing blows, yet something is different. Its legs are spinning, but it isn't able to

Gweheheheheh.

light in the body? Having some issues

MUAHAHAHAHAAAA!

No traction for you!

"HSSSSSSSS!"

of speed it was able to achieve before. Although my spell isn't affecting it powerfully enough to lift it into the air, the inverse gravity bolt has reduced the pull of gravity on it to the

fast enough

fire mana construct has been humming away in the background and drawing deeply on my mana reserves I pull together a demanding spell. Right before my enemies eyes, a giant wall of flame erupts from

BAM!

gravity bolt hits home as I close in with a Dash. Get

CRUNCH!