Chrysalis

Chapter 688

My reaction must have given something away, Granin was always quite good at reading me. Amazingly so considering I don't have facial muscles and therefore no expression to speak of. Perhaps his many decades of experience working with monsters has given him some sort of sixth sense in matters such as this.

[What's your level?] he asks.

[Bit rude, just up and asking like that, isn't it?] I feel exposed.

He grunts.

[Keep your false modesty. There's a whole nest of ants here who need your strength, so out with it.]

[Seventy three.]

[That's close,] he whistles, [you're going to need that consultation before too long. With the wave coming, those levels and the Biomass requirements should be filled pretty quick.]

He pauses our conversation for a moment to turn and speak to Torrina and Corun. The three of them converse in rapid tones for a moment before he turns back to me.

[Sounds like you haven't exactly been availing yourself of the help I sent you,] he says sourly.

I feel a little guilty. The two golgari cultists had abandoned their people to come and help me because they, along with Granin, saw potential for something great in me. I've just never been much of a careful planner. Or a deep thinker. Or patient. Hang on a second. Am I just stupid?

[Don't think about it too much,] Granin sighs, [I know you can't be bothered thinking about this stuff. Since you aren't going anywhere until the little stumps wiggling on your side grow a bit more, I may as well explain a couple of things.]

The big shaper lowers himself to the ground and sits in front of me, looking at me face to face.

[The thing you need to keep in mind, is that monsters are stronger than people.]

right. That Titus guy was crazy strong! He carved down one of the frickin' gates by himself! As if sensing my protest before it arrives,

Just stop thinking for a minute and listen. Yes, individuals can become very strong. You might even say monstrously strong,] he smirks before he settles and continues, [in the legends, during the Rending, the great golgari heroes were supposedly capable of truly ridiculous feats. One of the first shapers was supposedly so strong in earth magic, he could conjure a mountain to smash his foes with. Whether or not that's true, none can say. Now whilst that strength

many billions of monsters does it take before one rises to the level of an ancient?] I say sceptically, [all you've

Granin waves a hand.

the ancients. What I was more trying to emphasise is that, generally speaking, a monster is stronger than a human or golgari. Strong monsters need teams of strong people to bring them down. Eventually, some monsters get powerful enough that large teams of up to a hundred are necessary. You've

whale fish thing I glimpsed in the first expanse I visited in the second strata, or

the moment you're tier five, once you reach tier six and above, you've joined the ranks of the elite monsters, the type that very few people can hope to match one on one. They exist

gives me a second

You probably noticed looking at your eyeball over there,] he gestures toward Invidia, [that he has mutations and abilities that haven't been available to you. Am I

I nod slowly.

the strata we originated from. As a demon, he gets access to juicier

true. The deeper you go, the 'juicier' the options a monster will get by default. However, the playing field is meant to be level in the Dungeon. Sapients and monsters alike, everyone is supposed to have the same chance to succeed. This means there must

about to tell me what

the Rescindic Principle of Mutable Advancement in the academic circles. We mostly

[… a cash in.]

He nods.

in all your current mutations on a particular body part in order to upgrade it to a better base model. Once you evolve at +25,

by better base model?]

he gets and I'm starting to get a little lost. Seeing the dazed emotion in my eyes,

your

my

exo-skeleton that all insect monsters in the first strata have access to.

How revolting.

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