Chrysalis

At least those crazy malformed humans were good for experience. Whatever the Legion did to turn them into… what they were, they certainly seemed to lack the finely tuned discipline of their more regular compatriots. After I'd demonstrated the ability to rip into them using my Doom Chomp, cutting down several at a time, they continued to come, almost ant-like in their eagerness to sacrifice themselves for their allies. If they'd just fought defensively, been a bit more cagey in front of me, then I wouldn't have been able to hit their numbers even half as hard as I did in the end. I've not been paying attention to the notifications that Gandalf has been whispering into my ear, but I'm sure I must have racked up three levels from these clowns by now. If they want to throw experience at me, I'm more than happy to take it!

Although I'm a little tired from having to use the draining Doom Chomp so many times, which was possibly their aim.

It doesn't look like I'm going to get time to rest, either. When the bizarre creatures pull back from the ant line, they slide expertly through the perfectly aligned ranks of heavy armored Legion soldiers waiting behind them. The moment the way is clear, the ranks reform into a solid wall of shields and blades that begin to close with us at speed.

"Bring up the humans!" comes the call from the generals huddled close to the front. The words are repeated all the way up and down the line before being passed through mages to the human antmancers dotted throughout the battlefield.

With an enthusiastic roar, the first real sound from our side of the field, the human volunteers and the robed figures of Beyn and his true believers take their places in our formation. A half-second before the two forces collide I feel the rush and surge throughout my body as the potent buff rolls through me from the nearest Antmancer. I see every ant around me stand a little taller, a little firmer, as their stats get a healthy bump from the aura effect. It's needed too, without it, most soldiers simply aren't able to stay in front of the more powerful Legionary soldiers for long. For me? It makes me a real pain in their backside.

but also that the stat boost they give affects all stats. Which means my brains get that little edge they need to be able to handle the construct I have spinning without me having to interfere with the main mind nearly as much. Gweheheheh. It might not be much, but I'll take every advantage I can get in this contest for

shield is thrust in my face and a short sword flickers like a snake tongue, seeking my eyes. Always the eyes with these people! Is my diamond carapace so damn impressive that you've just given up on ever breaking through. With my antennae still functioning and my reflexes primed and ready I'm able to make small adjustments of my legs, shifting my head by a few centimeters in

out of here

tilted to one side, using my 'shoulder' to smash into the braced shields. The new muscle augmentation isn't just useful for my mandibles. I've found that if I set my legs before a dash I can snap out with more power and acceleration than before. Which is certainly handy! Faced with my bulk,

Eat steam!

wave of steam as I wind my mandibles back

SNAP!

it was with the previous wave of foes. These armored guys are hard nuts to crack! Especially when the ranks are packed together like this. The extended mandibles of dark light that manifest when I use the skill help to extend my reach, certainly, but they also

can start cooking up the lava mana again combined with a little earth mana. Hopefully I can make something good happen with

"ROOOOAAAAAAR!!!'