Chrysalis

It was with no small amount of pride that Sloan watched the first shipment of Biomass and cores come in from the newly established farm around the nest. Thirty soldiers, each carrying a full mandible load, as well as being weighed down with bags slung over their backs. It was tiring and difficult work, one that the ants performed with joy and pride, especially this group. All the Biomass being hauled currently was destined for the academy, to allow the hatchlings to evolve with full upgrades.

"Finally, some results for all of that work," Cobalt looked exceptionally pleased as she stood next to the general watching the soldiers run by. "The carvers were pushed to the limits of their endurance, but it was worth it to see this happen. I've heard they're already starting to harvest some cores as well."

"Already?" Sloan was a little surprised. Monsters could only form cores when the concentration of mana within their bodies reached a certain point. She had expected it to take longer for the requisite mana to accrue within the farms, even if they had installed a carefully controlled irrigation system to ensure that infused water was available in each of the farming chambers.

"Yes," Cobalt confirmed, "I heard Bella gushing about it earlier, though I'm not sure how many of those cores she expects to see considering that Eldest wants the academy graduates to reach tier four."

Even now most hatchlings weren't able to evolve with full cores from the second to third tier. Getting enough cores to max every ant from third to fourth? A pipe dream. Even so, the Eldest was determined and despite everything that happened, they were usually right when they insisted on things like this.

"Bella and Ellie have approached me about another idea to get more cores," Sloan said, "they want to send small groups of core shapers outside of our territory to obtain resources."

"Is that safe?"

The general shrugged.

"Safer for them than for any other caste. Every one of them has two or three pets that they can use to fight, which means two of them pairing up actually brings four to six combatants who each need cores, Biomass and experience to be effective. They won't get any of those things if they hang around here, we need every scrap for the hatchlings. I approved the idea; they've already started heading out."

shook her

now," she muttered, and

a week ago and the Colony had been working furiously ever since to get the farming project up and running as fast as possible whilst also building up their defences, holding off the wave, training an unprecedented number of hatchlings and ramping up their

of "Slackers!" or "Stop being lazy!". It was only

off to in such a rush?" Tungstant called

scout stuttered to a stop, her legs pumping hard to slow her

an outlying scout relay that the Eldest has been spotted on the way back. I was rushing to get word back to

both sagged a little with relief at the news, none more so than Sloan. She was the one to crack and tell the Eldest to get out of the nest and keep levelling, only for their mentor to up and disappear for five days! Rather than hang around just outside the defensive line like Sloan had assumed

Eldest. Sloan had

far away they are?" Sloan asked. "Not too far I

ten minutes behind me. From what I hear the Eldest is after a

next, lending a hand and then vanishing into the distance before anyone thought to ask where she was

the Colony and would be here shortly. Ants started to rush, trying to get through their work faster so they could come back and see the glorious return of the strongest member of the Colony, an odd sort of behaviour that Tungstant didn't

day by day, increasing the aura of mystique around them, so to speak. She puzzled over this question as the hubbub grew and then, suddenly and without fanfare,

gleaming diamond carapace of the Eldest was dirty and chipped in places, their antennae looked like they desperately needed a clean and it was obvious to those who were watching that they were tired, their movements a little sluggish. The great ape looked even worse, a mass of injuries and filth that caked over each and every part of armour still strapped to his body. The shadow looked much the same as always, her

Sloan stepped forward to greet the Eldest on their