Chrysalis

“This is disturbing news, Eldest,” Sloan and Victor don’t look pleased with what I have to say.

“Apparently, this is going on everywhere in the stratum right now, but as monsters, we are especially vulnerable.”

The two generals nod as they ponder this issue. The idea of having a hostile monster group raising a corrupted Colony to fight against us is certainly not a welcome one.

“We will take every precaution to prevent someone from being taken, and implement checks to ensure we can act swiftly to recover any of our family who are… but…”

The two look very uncomfortable as Sloan lays this out.

“But what?” I ask, impatient.

“It’s impossible that we would be able to succeed forever. Even if we get through two, three, ten waves without a single member of the Colony being captured, they only have to succeed once. In the long term, defence is not a viable strategy.”

I can see what they mean. We can fend off the Krath here in the fourth ten thousand times, but they only have to succeed a single time, drag a captive away and throw them into the sludge. From there, it’s only a hop, step and a jump to creating their own colony.

“We have to go on the offensive,” I say the thought out loud, and the two generals agree solemnly.

“Eradication of the Krath is our only viable path forward. We must exterminate them from the Dungeon completely.”

layer of the Dungeon, hostile to life in an almost comically extreme way. It’s going

is going to be capable of making

let’s do our best in the meantime, but start planning now. One thing I want to establish at the outset, I think Solant should be the one in charge of the fight. It’ll be unconventional, and our opponents are renowned for their slipperiness and cruelty. We need an unconventional

but I definitely think they should give her strong consideration. I know the generals are reluctant to put their trust in the little general due

I tell them. “When there’s a tough slug monster, send for me and I’ll

will help a great deal. Thank you,

a spot out of the way and park myself down in the central chamber beneath the nest. I’m not exactly close to the front

from the fifth, be especially careful when engaging with them. If you have trouble driving them back, call for me and I’ll come help. Don’t think that what we’ve seen

Master,] Crinis sniffs. [They leave disgusting slime and putrid mana everywhere

their best to spread it as much as they can; makes it easier for them to fight. That’s a good point actually, if you can safely burn off or otherwise destroy the terrain advantage, then make

the big

lightning burning off slime and goop, alright? You’ll struggle to fight against

[Punch.]

[Tiny...]

[Punch!] he insists.

those cannons, but if you get that close,

the

grunts. [Will be

about as good as I’m going to get

too, Crinis. If you stick a tentacle into one of these creatures, they