Chrysalis

After visiting the core shapers, there isn't too much left to do. I don't want to take the hatchling in to visit mother, since she's likely to declare something rude like "I could be a way better Queen" and get her head thwacked in. By me. So I abandon that idea and instead decide that it's time to begin doing the real work of the hatchlings' education. Combat!

Not to mention, I need to stuff her full of Biomass and cores in order to assure the best possible evolutions! Gweheheheh.

"All right then hatchling, no more slacking around. Are you ready to be the best ant that you can be!"

"Of course!" she retorts. "I'm ready to be the best ant out of them all!"

"Oh ho! I'm happy to hear that, because it's time for full on, no holds barred combat in the tunnels!"

"Yeah!" she punches the air in excitement.

"… For me and the others. All you get to do is eat."

"What?!" she sulks.

"Come on now. You are a tiny little hatchling, whereas we are mighty tier six monsters, literally the highest tier of any monster in the Colony. You need to work your way up to this level if you want to match us someday, and this is the start of that process. We need to get Biomass and cores into you so that you can start to evolve and get stronger, as part of that, we'll teach you the basics of how to fight like an ant!"

The difference in power is hard to ignore, I'm so much larger than she is that she could walk underneath my carapace without me even having to raise myself up from my normal standing height. At tier one, she's just food for whatever monster happens to look her way, and she's smart enough to realise it.

right then, which one of you is going to be on hatchling babysitting duty?] I ask my

Crinis, unsurprisingly

Tiny also puts a hand up, offering to

Invidia is totally silent.

or something? You're telling me you want to help

gives an

to fight! You don't

the good grace to look a little embarrassed. I immediately

honest? Good for you, big guy. You can guard the hatchling, all right? We need to secure Biomass, cores, and experience for her, so make sure

we exit the nest and leave the Colony's territory all together, making our way into the Dungeon proper, beyond the defensive line. The wave has all but sputtered out now, no longer are monsters leaping from the walls and floor every few seconds, claws

my mind magic! Not far

second strata just doesn't pose the level of threat that it once did. The shadow monsters are far too easy to take down and the death monsters, though harder, aren't that much of a challenge either. Only in overwhelming numbers were they a threat and those numbers just aren't there anymore. And the experience and Biomass we gain is negligible to say the

to go deeper and find higher tier monsters to fight!

but tier three monsters we nab and get Tiny to beat them within an inch of their life before pinning them down in front of the tiny ant. It's rough treatment and I'm sorry for it, monsters,

above her own lands the hatchling at level five after just

I do now? Do I evolve?" she asks, excitement clear in her

see and experience… I can understand that

to do and you'll be a lot weaker if you evolve without one. This is the difference between monsters that will be stuck low tier forever and those who can advance and grow