Chrysalis

[Mythic Evolution: Formless One. You have invited your kind in, and given back to them in turn. Now it is time to make the union complete. All stats removed. All body parts and mutations will be refunded. Every member of your chosen species will be granted a formless core and you will exist as pure energy dispersed across the network formed between them.

You may make upgrades to the formless core through mutation within each individual who contains one.

Together with your kind, rise as one.]

Uhhhhhhhh… what?

[That’s… unexpected,] Granin says.

His face looks fairly impassive, but judging by the gobsmacked expressions on Torrina and Corun’s faces, he’s only just holding it together.

[Granin, what the hell is this? I wouldn’t even have a body?!]

[Mythic evolutions can be extremely unusual,] he says after a brief pause. [A larger, more fundamental change to your existence. You’ve seen evolutions that make broad, fundamental changes before, am I right?]

[Well, sort of. I would have turned into a giant brain, not a literal ghost!]

[Not a ghost,] he corrects me, [you wouldn’t have a body, but you would still exist as a living creature formed of energy. You’d effectively be unkillable. I’m no expert on this stuff, it’s too high level, but as I understand it, the only way for you to die would be for every member of the Colony to be destroyed.]

[But what would I even do? Float around just… existing?]

[Don’t underestimate creatures of energy. You could influence the world more than you think. And the more ants with the core in them, the stronger you would become.]

Both of us know that the population of the Colony will explode if we aren’t defeated soon. This evolution would completely destroy my retirement plans! How am I supposed to tickle the grubs as a formless ghost?! Unacceptable!

[I’m not interested in becoming some bodiless spectre,] I say firmly. [I’d rather take a rare evolution than this one.]

[Well, I suppose it’s a good thing you have more mythic options then,] Granin replies. [I’m just shocked you are getting choices like this at tier seven. It’s unheard of.]

And also undesired. I just can’t comprehend what that sort of existence would be like. And how would my siblings feel if I just… moved in? I’d literally be adding something they didn’t ask for into their bodies. The whole thing gives me the creeps.

+400 Might.

your people flows through you and they sit within your power. To ascend higher, you must be reforged.

Golden-Diamond Silk and your body replaced with

this, Gandalf?! These options are just bizarre! I hesitate for a long moment before I give the details of this one to Granin. As I

been keeping from us? What

not much. Just…

convinced by

of whatever it is you’ve been keeping from us. A Larval Deity? World Essence?! It… I-I mean…

his legs on the spot and takes a seat. Corun and Torrina sit down next

minute. [Can someone explain this one to

takes a moment, but Granin raises his

you would transform into a larva, but not like you

be blind and largely

He nods.

this evolution intends for the Colony to effectively feed you experience and Biomass until you reached max level and evolved to tier eight. At

Deity? I’d be a

That’s a little unsettling….

[just an incredibly powerful monster. I can’t even imagine how strong you’d be, but

seems to have lost

need to sacrifice all of tier seven and have the Colony babysit me

choose this one,] Granin raises a hand weakly. [Think about it carefully. Words like “deity” are not thrown out by the System for no reason. If you survived to tier eight, your path to ascend as an Ancient would be almost

I remind him. [And I get the feeling you’re not

He hesitates.

and anything World-Infused

buy because nobody is selling. Empires

[Oh hell no!]

you,] Granin assures me desperately. [We can cooperate with the Colony. I can contact the cult. ALL of the cults. I can gather an army from across the planet to defend you. We could accelerate you to tier

feed me resources and devoting their entire existence to trying to push

I tell him ruthlessly. [I refuse to go back to being a

bring me food?