Chrysalis

… or at least it would be painful if I was going to end up landing in it.

[Invidia!]

Using his prodigious mind powers, the demon condenses a shield out of pure mana and air, snapping it together before I reach the ground. Placed horizontally, the barrier acts as a stable landing platform for my large frame and I grip the edges as I land heavily on it, ensuring I don't slide off.

How about that, frog-face!? Didn't expect me to have this sort of trick up my sleeve, did ya?! As Invidia has improved and ranked up his barrier magic, even something like this has become possible for him, although it drains quite a lot of mana and is more than a little taxing on him. To hold up my kind of weight in the air with nothing but air is… a challenge, even for the big brained demon.

Is my spell ready yet? Not quite. Despite their improvement, creating something like this is difficult for the sub-brains. As I carefully scan for my opponent, I lend the potent force of my main mind to the task. Drawing out mana and feeding it to the concerted efforts of my three weaker minds.

Ah, there you are, you disgusting punk. Clinging to the roof and looking at my position, standing on a shimmering plane of air, the beast has a somewhat quizzical expression on its face, as if confused that I haven't fallen into its pit of bile as it had expected me to. Alas not, mister frog, although the strategy was clear evidence of intelligence on the part of the monster. Once again, I consider attempting to make mental contact with this creature but dismiss the idea. For all I know, its thoughts are just as toxic as the rest of it and would taint my mana over the connection, I can't risk it.

[Masssster issss heavy.]

Oh, right.

a

its tendrils into the air, flowing over the stone and running in little waterfalls into new crevices. Which conveniently has left me with very few

surfaces like this due to my increase in weight without a corresponding

need you two to try and do something about this mana! Break it down, redirect the goop into a pit or something, I don't care what you do, but

the sub-brains still aren't cut out for this yet? I thought

Whoa!

to go for it! Dash! My legs fire one after the other as I try to maintain my grip on the wall but still move at speed and I find it much harder than I thought. I'm not going to make it! Thinking quickly, I split my legs wide and slam my claws into the stone, desperately trying to hold on as the horrific stuff sears

My legs

is not the natural state for ant legs and it's more than a little difficult to hold myself up. I need more power! For the first time, I fire up the new Vestibule, desperate for the strength boost that it will provide. I feel it almost instantly. The ever present Will that flows through the Vestibule and into the Nave changes direction and … form. Instead of nourishing my

like a hatchling, my legs flickering and my claws gripping with a strength they have never before possessed. Wow! The effect is way more pronounced than I expected. In terms

think I might need to go for

to. I stay on the move and eye my opponent carefully, the next opening will be my chance to go for the kill and I refuse to miss it. This monster has been a royal pain in the business district to fight and

I watch, I can almost see the thoughts flickering through the creature's head, until those two eyes gleam with sudden certainty. Is it coming? What's going to be next. My shock is almost total

YOU WHAT?!

faster than I am, but I'm fortunate in that this is a one way tunnel and it only has one direction to go. Let's go Anthony! DASH! Three pairs of legs infused with more strength than ever before flex then launch, propelling me forward like a rocket. At the same time I reach within and take hold of the mana that