Chrysalis

Despite my protestations, the slug is surprisingly manoeuvrable, slithering towards me with those burning orbs fixated on my position. Judging by the mana sense I’m getting, this isn’t some freshly spawned creature, but an actual monster from below who’s climbed up for some easy pickings.

Unfortunately, you aren’t going to find any here! Only death! Your death, specifically!

Yes, this creature absolutely has a core thrumming away within that slimy body, and I’m not especially sure how I’m going to get at it. I can only assume attempting to eat this thing is going to dissolve my body from the inside out.

While I’m busy wondering about how I’m going to consume it, the slug is busy attempting to ensure that never happens. The tendrils on its back, dozens and dozens of them, all thicken at the same time, and only my future sense allows me to react in time as they suddenly shoot a wide spray of sizzling acid at me.

Yikes!

I scramble backwards up the tunnel as fast as I can as the acid rains down, almost clipping the tip of my antennae. The moment it touches the ground, the thick slime begins to burn into the rock, and then, even more scarily, it begins to spread so quickly I can see it happen! In mere moments, the area I’d been standing in has been converted to a thick coat of steaming goop over which the slug effortlessly glides.

Not a fan!

How the heck did it take no damage from the fire attack? I need to study the opponent further! Still assuming that fire is a weakness of these creatures, I spin up multiple minds that begin hurling concentrated balls of flame at the creature. The spells streak through the air, crackling with potent heat, only to sink into the slug and dissipate with a rather limp puff sound.

then I realise that I’m not actually looking at the monster itself, but rather an incredibly thick and dense layer of sludge. The stuff is so dense it looks like flesh! I am not liking this at all. Again, with surprising speed, the slug

to build a little highway for itself and create an area I can’t really get to without risking my

you want it, try and

I need and compress it hard before unleashing another Dragon’s Breath, superheating the tunnel in front of me and evaporating the acid in

see a thing with a huge jet of fire blasting out in front of me, but I can still sense the monster, and

heck is with this

and I roll to the side, cutting off the

position, topped with a ring of needle-thin teeth. Having missed the target, the slug begins to reel the appendage back, the teeth flexing

appearance to the contrary, I can definitely see that the slug has taken some damage from my fire. Whatever coating it’s using to cover

my eyes, the stuff is regenerating.

deal with you. I credit your evolution and mutation choices. You’ve overcome this

how do you feel

HOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLL!!!!!

version; nevertheless, the gravity bomb rips through the air toward the slug as I scrabble backwards to gain some distance. I didn’t even bother infusing this one with the altar since it’s too close

spell. Not the case, as it turns out. When the gravity bomb expands and begins to pull in and shred everything it touches, the slug is