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.]

doesn't seem right. That Titus guy was crazy strong! He carved down one of the frickin' gates by

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.

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.

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

me. I've seen strong monsters though. The giant whale fish thing I glimpsed in the first expanse I visited in the second strata, or the giant spider mama who was such a

type that very few people can

a second

the options will change starting with your next evolution. You probably noticed looking at your eyeball over

I nod slowly.

we originated from. As a demon, he gets access to juicier stuff than

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.

about to tell me what it

Mutable Advancement in the academic circles.

[… a cash in.]

He nods.

Basically, you trade in all your current mutations on a particular body part in order to upgrade it to a better base model. Once

you mean by

can tell Granin is passionate about this stuff, the more he explains, the more animated he gets and I'm

your carapace

to cover my glittering shell with my

alright? You'll like this.] He soothes me with a gesture. [Your carapace started out as the default exo-skeleton that all insect monsters in the first strata have access to. The thickness might have varied, but you ultimately had the exact same

How revolting.

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